Differences and Causal Mechanisms in the Lithospheric Thermal Structures in the Cratons in East China: Implications for Their Geothermal Resource Potential

Jinhui Wu, Yibo Wang (), Lijuan He, Lijuan Wang, Junpeng Guan, Jun Chen, Zhuting Wang, Yaqi Wang and Shengbiao Hu
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Jinhui Wu: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Yibo Wang: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Lijuan He: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Lijuan Wang: Key Laboratory of Earth Fissures Geological Disaster, Ministry of Land and Resources, Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018, China
Junpeng Guan: Key Laboratory of Earth Fissures Geological Disaster, Ministry of Land and Resources, Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018, China
Jun Chen: Key Laboratory of Earth Fissures Geological Disaster, Ministry of Land and Resources, Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018, China
Zhuting Wang: School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
Yaqi Wang: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Shengbiao Hu: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: The thermal structure of the lithosphere is key to understanding its thickness, properties, evolution, and geothermal resources. Cratons are known for their low heat flow and deep lithospheric roots. However, present-day cratons in East China have geothermal characteristics that are highly complex, with variable heat flow values, diverging from the typical thermal state of cratons. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of the geothermal geological background of the cratons in East China, summarizing the thermal state and tectono-thermal processes of different tectonic units, calculating the temperature at various depths, and discussing differences in temperature and thermal reservoirs at different depths. The observed lithospheric thermal thickness within the North Jiangsu Basin and the Bohai Bay Basin is notably reduced in comparison to that of the Jianghan Basin and the Southern North China Basin. The phenomenon of craton destruction during the Late Mesozoic emerges as a pivotal determinant, enhancing the geothermal resource prospects of both the Bohai Bay Basin and the North Jiangsu Basin. Our findings contribute significantly to the augmentation of theoretical frameworks concerning the origins of heat sources in global cratons. Furthermore, they offer invaluable insights for the methodical exploration, evaluation, advancement, and exploitation of geothermal resources.

Keywords: cratons in East China; geothermal resource potential; thermal structure; heat flow; temperature difference (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: 2024
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