Lithospheric Thermal Regimes in Europe

Abstract

The paper gives a brief survey of the academic oriented studies of the terrestrial heat flow in Europe in terms of the crustal and lithosphere structure and discusses their ap licability in the practical geothermal prospecting. The main obtained from the regional interpretation of the deep geothermal structure are summarized, namely the relationships between heat flow density and the age of the last tectonothermal event, heat flow and crustal thickness and heat flow and near-surface heat roduction. The typical crustal steady-state temperature versus profiles in major tectonic units of Europe are presented together with the re ional Moho heat flow pattern assessed after subtracting the crusta? contribution from the observed surface heat flow. The Moho discontinuity is clearly neither isothermal surface, nor heat flow from below the crust is constant.