Heat Flow and Heat Production of Western Iberia

Abstract

The results of a surface heat flow and radiogenic heat production carried out in the western Iberian Peninsula are presented. The heat-flow data consist of 69 determinations from mining and water exploration wells mostly located at the Hesperic Massif (HM). The obtained results show an average heat flow that increases from about 50 in the northern part of the HM to 75 in the southern part. Superimposed to this regional thermal pattern, some local anomalies (up to 150 related to water circulation through deep faults are present. The radiogenic heat production data consist of 640 determinations carried out on different rock samples, mainly Paleozoic in age, corresponding to the HM and the Betic orogenic belt. The obtained heat production values vary from 0.9 to 4.7 for granites, from 0.8 to 3.4 for metasediments and from 0 1.8 for basic and ultrabasic rocks.