New Insights into Crust and upper Mantle Structure in Guangdong Province, China and Its Geothermal Implications

Jian Kuang, Shihua Qi and Xiangyun Hu
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Jian Kuang: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Shihua Qi: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Xiangyun Hu: Hubei Subsurface Multiscale Imaging Laboratory, Institute of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-17

Abstract: Southeast Asia contains significant natural geothermal resources. However, the mechanism for generating geothermal anomalies by the crust–mantle structure still needs to define. In this study, we focused on Guangdong Province, China. We conducted three magnetotelluric profiles to interpret the crust and upper mantle structure beneath the Guangdong Province and its geothermal implications. Based on data analysis results, a two-dimension inversion was conducted on the dataset. The inversion model revealed that there is a presence of upwelling channels, and some channels are connected with shallow crustal fault zone; the thickness of crust and lithosphere in Guangdong Province is relatively thin. Such a special crust and upper mantle structure form high surface heat flow. Merged with previous research, our results imply that massive Late Mesozoic granites, which contain high radioactive heat generating elements, are distributed on the surface and underground of Guangdong Province. Based on the correlation between high radioactive Late Mesozoic granites, crust-upper mantle structure, surface heat flow, and locations of natural hot springs, we established a geothermal conceptual model to visualize the origin of a current geophysical and geothermal anomaly in Guangdong Province.

Keywords: magnetotellurics; 2D inversion; crust-upper mantle structure; Late Mesozoic granite; geothermal energy; Guangdong Province (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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