Units

- All physical quantities must have their units

specified to be meaningful.

- We will always used SI units.

- We must be comfortable with conversions

between different scales.

2
General View of the Earth

3
General View of the Earth

4
General View of the Earth
Lithosphere & Tectonique

5
 Global Heat Flow Map

Continental average: ~65 mW/m2

Oceanic average: ~100 mW/m 2

6
 Continental Heat Flow Map
North America
C O N T I N E N TA L H E AT F L U X (North A merica)

7
Importance of Thermal Effects
- Surface heat flow provides information about the
amount of heat produced within the Earth’s interior.

- Material properties are a strong function of temperature

- Thus, the dynamics of a material is thus a strong

function of temperature.

- For example, the viscosity of the mantle is highly

temperature dependent, e.g.
⌘ ⇠ exp ( ✓T )

8
Constant viscosity

Temp. dependent viscosity

(cold material is 10^5 times more viscous)

http://mcnamara.asu.edu/content/educational/mantle_convection_tutorial_01/index.html
9
 Heat Transfer
- The science which predicts how energy transfer may
occur between materials as a result of a temperature
difference

- Three modes of heat transfer

1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Radiation

10
 Conduction
- Heat transfer occurs via net effect of molecular
collisions. Molecules transmit kinetic energy through
these collisions.

- Essentially a diffusion process.

- Heat conduction occurs through a stationary medium

across which there is a variation in temperature.

11
 Conduction 4-5 MEASURING
IHE EARTH'SSURF

Fourier’s Law of Heat

Conduction
dT
q= k
dy
q - heat flux (W/m2)

k - thermal conductivity (W/m/K)

transfer
through
a slab.
T - temperature (K)

y - position (m)

4-2 Heatfluxandthelocalslopeof thete
has
is the coefficient of thermal conductivity and nonzero
curvature.
dT/dy - thermal gradient (K/m)
oordinate in the direction of the temperature
n. -fhe minus sign appears in Equation 1(4-1)
2 surface rocks are usually in the
 Conduction
dT Positive heat flows in the
q= k direction of decreasing
dy temperature
ll heat the
rot region,
also trans-
Simplified
y from the form
is only im-
T
q=k
;an be ab-
rductivity.
l
both con-
. transport
e distribu-
sgoverned
aceof heat
4-l Heattransfer
13 through
a slab.
 Conductivities 4-4 IHE EARIH'SS

tributed to the heat produc

TABLE
4-l Temperatures Layers
Between of isotopes of (W/m/K)
uranium, thoriu
RockTypes continental crust. Surface he
Water: 0.556

Depth Temp. creaseswith the age of the s
!
(m) fq RockType ft(Wm-t1-t1 tinental areas.Similarly, the
Diamond: 2300

dioactive isotopes in the su
380 18.362 !
with the age of the rocks. T
Sandstone 3.2 Quartz: 41.6

402 r8.871 to the progressive effects o
!
Shale 1.7 near-surfacerocks with the
412 r9.330
Marble: 2.08-2.94

the heat-producingisotopes
Sandstone 5.3 !
decreasein surface heat flow
465 20.446 Ice: 2.22

nental areascan be primarily
Salt 6.1 !
in the crustal concentratio
475 20.590 Iron: 73

Sandstone isotopes.
5^4 !
5r0 21.331 The mean measured he
Aluminium: 202

Shale 1.9 is 101 * 2.2 mW m-2. The c
!
515 2r.5r0 producing isotopes in the o
Copper: 401
order of magnitude less th
14
 Convection
- Heat transport associated with motion of the medium

Hot fluid flows into cold

region, resulting in heating

!
Cold fluid flows into hot
region, resulting in cooling

We’ll discuss this in detail in the mantle

convection lectures
15
 Radiation
- Electro-magnetic radiation through a vacuum
q = AT 4

A - area (m2)

RAYONNEMENT
σ: “Stefan-Boltzmann constant” (5.669 x 10-8 W/m2 . K4)

16
 Conservation of Energy
- Assume zero internal motion within the material

@T @qx @qy @qz

⇢Cp = +H
@t @x @y @z
t - time (s)

xi - spatial coordinate in direction i (m)

ρ - density (kg/m )

3

Cp - heat capacity at constant pressure (m2/s2/K)

qi - heat flux in direction i (W/m )

2

H - volumetric heat production (W/m )

3

17
 Heat Sources in the Earth
H = H r + Hs + Ha + HL
Hs - shear heating (viscous friction)

Ha - adiabatic heating (or cooling) due to changes in

pressure

HL - latent heat production / consumption due to phase

transformations of rocks (e.g. melting)

Hr - radioactive heat production due to the decay of

radioactive elements present in rocks
(+ accretionary processes involved in forming the Earth)
18

Radioactive Elements
- Radioactive heating
attributed to uranium (U),
thorium (Th) and
4-5 HEATGENERATION
potassium (K) isotopes.
Radiogenic.heat.production
in.continental.lithosphere
Qs =+ Qc ++ QLM ++Qb
CRUST
Qc
Enriched.in.U,.Th.and.K
BYIHE DECAYOF RADIOACTIVE
ETEMENTS

TABLE4-2 Ratesof HeatReleaselland Half-lives

1172
of the lmportantRadioactive
lsotopes
in the 30
Earth'sInterior
Lithospheric+mantle
H
lsotope (w kg-r)
rilz Concentration
(kgkg-r)
C
(rigid+root)
H, ro12w tE1 zo QLM
0r)
B8U 9.46 x lo 5 4.47x loe Jo.8 x lo s
a5U 5.69 x lo 4 7.04 x lo8 0.22 x lo e
U 9.81x105 5l.0xl0s
212Th 2.64 x l0 5 1.40 x l0r0 124x t0-e 43210
4oK 2.92 x lo-5 1.25x los J6.9 x lo-e r, Ga +Past
K 3.48x10e
/Vofe;Heatreleaseis basedon thepresent
51.0x105

meanmantleconcentra-
Basal+heat+flux+Q
4-4 Meanmantle
isotopes
heatproduction
rates
duetothedecay
of b
of U,Th,andK asfunctions
ofthera
back
timemeasured
tionsof theheatproducingelements. present

19 a functionof time before the pre

lbking Ho:7.3gx 10-12wkg-r andtheotherpara-
 Radioactive Elements
r38 HEATTRANSFER

Present within many TABLE4-3 Typical

Concentrations
RockTypesandtheAverage
of theHeat-Producing
Elements
in Chondritic
Concentrations
in Several
Meteorites
surface rocks Concentration
RockType U (ppm) Ih (ppm) K 0/o)
Partial melting at mid Referenceundepleted(fertile)mantle 0.05r 0.124 0.031
ocean ridges "Depleted"peridotites 0.001 0.004 0.003
Tholeiitic
basalt 0.07 0.r9 0.088
depletes mantle Granite 4.7 20 4.2
rocks of U,Th,K, Shale 3.7 12 2.7
Averagecontinental
crust 1.42 5.6 1.43
leading to high Chondritic
meteorites 0.008 0.029 0.056
concentrations in
basalts. material. The average concentrations of the heat- situation in which
producing elements Processes related are
in chondritic meteorites tolisted
the formation
only and there ar
in Thble 4-3. Theof continental
concentrations crustand(e.g.
of uranium tho- volcanism)
in the temperatur
rium are about a factor of 4 lessthan our mean mantle of conductive hea
also differentiate incompatible
values,and the concentration of potassium is about a statement of cons
factor of 2 larger.elements,
The factor of 8leading tothehigh
difference in ra- be derived as follo
concentrations
tio Cf /Cou is believed in granitic
to represent a fundamental dif- rocks.
Consider a slab
ference in elemental abundancesbetween the Earth's ched in Figure 4
mantle and chondritic meteorites. q(y + 6y) crossest
and the heat flux i
20
PROBTEM4-5 Determine the present mean mantle
 Radioactive Elements

continental crust oceanic crust

21
Heat Budget for the Earth

Continental average: ~65 mW/m2

Oceanic average: ~100 mW/m 2
22
 Does the Budget Balance?
Oceans 59% surface area of Earth

Average heat flux = 107 mW/m2

Total Q = 32 TW (70% of total)

41% surface area of Earth

Continents
Average heat flux = 67 mW/m2

Total Q = 14 TW (30% of total)

Question: Can we account for the heat flow observed at

the surface?

i) considering only conductive heat transfer

ii) considering radioactive heat sources only

iii) assuming steady state, i.e. no time dependence

23
 Oceanic Crust
4-O CONTINENTAT
GEOTHERMS l4l

y The oceaniccrust is primarily composed

⇢ = 2900 kg.m
wectake pc:2900 kg
3 of basalts.Thus
hr.:6 km, and Hr:2.6 x
--',
10-rr W kg-t. (the radiogenic heat productionrate per

h = 6 km
unit mass of basalts was calculated in Problem
(average oceanic crustal thickness)
4-4.)c From Equation (4-23) the resultant contribution
to the surface heat llow is Qc:0.45 mW m-2; this is a
1 which is
H = 2.6 ⇥ 10
small fraction of the mean11
W.kg
oceanic heat flow
c 100 mW m-2. The conclusion is that heat pro-
about
\" H", P" (heatinsource
duction fromcrust
the oceanic predominately
does not makebasalts)
a significant
contribution to the oceanic surface heat flow. There-
fore, an alternative explanation must be found lbr the
failure of the simple conduction profile to model the

q c = ⇢c H c h c
suboceanicmantle geotherm. In later sectionswe show
that heat flow due to mantle convection invalidates the
Heat flow
f-9 Heat through
flowlhrough the
thetopofatop

slabcontaining
internal
heatsources. conduction results.
Noheatflowsthroughtheboftomoftheslab.
Insulated at the bottom

Internal heat source 4-8 Continental
Geotherms
partialmelting processes
qc = 0.45 mW.m
that lead to the formation of
thecrust concentrate the radioactive elements.) The
2
<< 100 mW.m
Whereas conductive temperature profiles fail to de-
scribe the mantle geotherm, they successfullymodel
2

Radioactive heat sources DO NOT

onlyway in which this could have an effect is through the geotherm in the continental crust and Iithosphere,
a reduction in the amount of the surface heat flow r7s where the dominant thermal processesare radiogenic

explain the observed heat flux

attributedto mantle heat sources.Thus we must assess
thecontribution of crustal radioactivity to surfaceheat
flow.It is appropriate to do this for the oceaniccrust be-
causethe suboceanicmantle geotherm dominates the
heat production and conductive heat transport to the
surface. Because of the great age of the continental
lithosphere, time-dependent effects can, in general, be
24
 Continental Crust
- Repeat calculation with properties for continental crust
3
⇢c = 2700 kg.m
hc = 35 km (average continental crustal thickness)
1
Hc = 9.6 ⇥ 10 10
W.kg (heat source from predominately granite)

q c = ⇢c H c h c
qc = 91 mW.m 2
> 65 mW.m 2

Heat flux computed is higher than that observed

Assume the heat source must decrease with depth

25
 Continental Crust HEATIRANSFER

Surface

y q0
H = H0 exp ( y/hr )

Surface radiogenic heat

H0
production (W/kg)
a = Hoexpl-! /h)

Length scale for decrease in H

hr
with depth (m) A
qm I
lo^
I
Basal heat flux from the mantle 4-10 Modelof the continental
Heat flow throughcrustwithexponential
the top
radiog
qm at y = ∞ (W/m2) source
distribution.
Basal heat flux from the mantle

Internal
Equation (+24)heat
intosource
the equation of energy con
tion (4-12) yields the differential equation gov
Experimentally determined the temperaturedistribution in the model of the
nental crust:

o: o# * pHse-t/n,

26 Beneath the near-surfacelayer of heat-produci

 and h,:7.5 km; for the Norway and Sweden data,
Equation (+24) into the equation of energy conserva-

nental crust:
Continental Crust
tion (4-12) yields the differential equation governing
the temperaturedistribution in the model of the conti-
4-l I Dependence
tionperunitvolume
ofsurfaceheatflowgsontheradiogenic
rockp Hsinselected
insurface
heatproduc-
geological
provinces:
SienaNevada (solidsquares
andverylongdashedline),eastern
U.S.(solid
o: Same
- o# analysis,
* pHse-t/n, yields(4-2s) circlesandintermediate
andsolidline),eastern
dashedline),Norway
Canadianshield(open
andSweden
squares
(opencircles
andshortdashed
line).In eachcasethedataarefit withthelinearrelationship
Equation
Beneath the near-surfacelayer of heat-producing ele-
q= q
ments we assume that ⇢H h exp ( y/h )
m the upward
0 r heat flow at great
r
(4-2s).
100
depth is q^;that is,r7-+ -Qnt &sy -+ oo. This model for .a

heat production in the continental crust is sketched in

q(y = 0) = q = q + ⇢H h
Figure 4-10.
0 (zt-2-5)
An integration of Equation myields 0 r 80

,17 c .o'
. /o
cl' : k+ - p Hsh,g-r/h' : -q - pHsh,g-rlh' .
Typical values
dv 160
E
hr ⇠ 7.5 km A-26\
3 2"'pl
The constant of integration ct can be determined
E
:a'.'?'.1
...u'
2 from hr
q
the boundary ⇠ 17 30 m W.m
mcondition on the heat flux at great depth,
d40
,'-'."" o./
"
16' rf
that is, from the mantle heat flux to the base of the qm o

lithosphere Sierra Nevada

20
eastern US

36cl m W.m
: Qm.
2
< q0 < 49 m W.m(427)
2
Norway and Sweden

eastern Candian shield
Thus the heat llux at any depth is
46
n,
Q : -4m - p Hshrs-t/ .
⇠ 67 m W.m(4-28)
2
pH6,prWm 3

27
What Went Wrong?

Assumption of steady state is incorrect

28
 vy v
K-1 and the sediment thermal diffusivity is

Mid-ocean Ridge Model

4-20 Heating
ofa semi-infinite bya sud
half-space
*1.
r58 HEAIIRANSFER temperature.

M4-50 Consider a semi-infinite half-space

ose surface temperature is given
T=To by Equa- -+ WeHotnow mantle obtain rocktherises.

solution to Equ
). At what values of rot is the surface heat a semi-infinite half-spacedefined by y
? At the ridge, the mantle rock
face is given an instantaneouschange
Initially att:0,T = T t exposed
is
lsotherm - -suddenly
--t// to the
the half-spacehas a t
antaneous Heating or Cooling of cold surface temperature.

for / > 0, the surface)l : 0 is maintaine

Asthenosphere
nfinite Half-Space temperature
The seafloor ?i. Asspreads
a result, awayheat is tran
of important geological problems can be 4-2t vertical
half-space if columns
76 t ., ;il.
and .ro *n*on.*llvi
the temperat
v from
away the ridge,
fromtheridgeandcooling
fi, losing heat
vertically
to thesurfa
y the instantaneousheating or cooling of a T . 'To, the half-space cools, and its te
4-22 Schematic ofthecooling oceaniclithosphere. to the water via conduction.

itehalf-space.In the middle of the nineteenth creases.

essential Theobtain situation
feature bothis sketched
have in commonin Fis
th
t=!
rdlaboratory indicates
Kelvin used that this temperature
this solution to estimateis theabout case
J
The
% >rocks
cooling with
/ problem
I. solidify
identical asforthey
both is the
1600K. HeThus we can that
thinktheof the lithosphere as the re-
Earth. assumed surfaceheat flow cool,
conduction.
The forming
temperature Figurethe 4-23 oceanic
illustrates
distribution incolum
the r
gion between the surface and a particular isotherm, as laterally away from the ridge and c
om ----t//
the cooling of an initially hot Earth and tionmoving
lithosphere.
of Equation Vt
(4-68) subiect to the c
shown in theT=Tt
figure.The depth to this isotherm increases surface.
dthat
with the ageofofthe
the age thelithosphere;
Earth was about
that is, the65 mil-
lithosphere
T:Tt To adaptWithatrthe/:0, half-spacesudden y>0 coolin
We now know
thickens that farther
as it moves this estimate
from thewas in error
ridge, since it has the oceanic lithospherecooling situation
an agl
asons
more-time
thetopresence of radioactive
cool. We refer to the ageof the isotopes
lithosphere T:n
and rewrite attEquation
f:0 (4-113)r>0 as
that
4-2t
tle the
asandvertical
columns
amount of time
solid-state ;il.r required
., thermal .ro convection
*n*on.*llving
to reach thein horizontatty
distance
the T--rTt r aS
T t -trary i y-+oo />0
awayfromthe
x from theridge
ridge vertically
andcooling
(because of to thesurface
symmetry (t2
we> consider
fr > 0).
-'ro
Also
:*t"(t!l*--*,)
xpositive);t:x/u. 29 T
 Time Dependent Conduction
- Heating (or cooling) of a semi-infinite half space (y > 0)
2
Solve @T @ T
⇢Cp =k 2
@t @y
2 k
@T @ T
= 2 =  thermal diffusivity (m2/s)
@t @y ⇢Cp
S
EATING
ORCOOTING
OFA SEMI-INFINITE
HALF-SPACE
when the temperature T1 at time = 0, is instantaneously
r58 HEAIIRANSFER changed to T0.

T, T"
.,=ulT- T.TT T=To -+
lttl
ll,=*ll,=*
llir
Il,ll,'" Asthenosphere
lsotherm

vy v
v
4-20 Heating
ofa semi-infinite
half-space increase
bya sudden insurface
4-22 Schematic oceanic
ofthecooling lithosphere.
temperature. 30
 xpositive);t:x/u. (4.
surface. 'fhe temperature t'rfthe rock at the ridge crest r : 0
The solution for the temperature as a function of
Half Space Cooling Model (T)
this can b
To adapt the half-spacesudden cooling
and beneath the solution to seawatercools the
plate is fi. The
'fhus, a column of man- Tt-r
time / and distance y is Equation @-ll2).It can be
surface to the temperature
the oceanic lithosphere coolingtlesituation, -
7 IRANSFER
r561s1HEAT ft.
-rf u,
is initially at temperature fi, and its surfaceis sud- Tt- n
and rewrite Equation (4-113) as
written in terms of the orisinal variables as
denly brought to the temperature ?i.As the column and sequ
moves away from the ridge, its surface temperature is
Tassu
-'fi) Th
Tt-T ^/ y maintained at ft, and it gradually cools.ltris problem is velop
T-n : errc\TuciTn v (4-124)
\ identical to the sudden cooling of a half-space,treated Tt-To
woul co
r, - ?b ) in Section4-1-5,if we neglecthorizontal heat conduc- reaso
Accord
(4-113)
,r-rr-errc.-:' tion compared with vertical heat conduction. This is a
as
This can be further rearrangedgood approximation as long as the lithosphere is thin. ocoo, since
abov
ture is ft,
clude

With horizontal heat conduction neglected,heat con-

:r-*t(ffi)
beneathfn:t
scithe seaflo
At y : 0, theT -complementary
To "
Tt-T is vertical
1 duction
error function is 1 and
in columns of mantle and lithosphere,

T -
T:'lo.
n y
n -
--+
n as it is in the half-spaceproblem. Although a thin col- dr The isoth

/ :0,
olr'3
and
wher

tT: I. The
umn may not resemblea semi-infinitehalf-space,the dient
As oo or
Temperature profile as function of spreading erfc
4-21 Theerrorisfunction
0 and
velocity, = x/u
thecomplementary
las.The
h e ard r
errorfunction.
and r (Myr)
flc tion
generalsolution for I or (T - and T)evaluating
I Qothe result - 7i at y ):0 is shown
such that as radio
sir mate
F+:$(h)
erfc 4 in Figure 4-21.
The near-surface region in which
q:-kl '
(4-12s)
/a7\

:-k(To-I)^
^ |

there
\d//v=0

A/
is
' dY lerfc_l a
v \
significant
200
400 th 4-24 The
600
PRO

of lithosphe
s
of er
fromEqua
the i
According to Equation (+125) the surfacetempera-\ 2Jrct / ,:o 800
tir
Prior
persiondat
temperature change
:
tureis ?t,sinceerf(0) 0and T is referred
--> Tr asthedepth,y
: to
k(To as
- I a
d/
-->
);lerf thermal
v \
bound- p is
" -, I
d,v\ I\/KI/r:1y
sp temp
oo, since erf(oo) :
ary layer. The thicknessof the thermal boundary
1. Figure 4-24 shows the isotherms
k(To - 71) ,l , layer taine
n),t:o pt: temp
beneath the ocean surface as a functicln of the age of
,(erf
requiresan arbitrary definition, oceanic lithosphere
since
k(To-Tr)/ the
2 in the Pacific
-,,,\temperature
k(To-Tt) AT
give

the seafloor for I - ?i : 1300K' and r : 1 mm2 ZJxt s-l'

--r:r
\ ../n / ,,-o Jtrct --
r
a€
T approaches the
The isothermsin Figure initial
4-24have rock
the3
 1 temperature
shape of parabo- 7l asymptot- (4-116)
 shown in Figure 4-21. 0.35 " 0.57
nrc(3Tl3v
of erosion on subsurface temper

Half Space Cooling Model (q)

The A/
solution for vthe\ temperature as a function of 0.40 0.42
(To-I)^ ' lerfc_l the instantaneous
0.45 at
removal of0.47
time / olr'3
anddY \distance 2Jrct y is Equation @-ll2).It can be
/ ,:o where (3 Qdy)s is
Prior to the removal
0.50 T : To* 0.52
By
written in terms of the orisinal variables as
d/ v \ dient.With @TlA
p is the geothermal
0.55 gradient,0.55 a
k(To - I The
4-21 );lerferror function and
I the complementary error function. 0.60ard r:1mm2 s
0.60
T-n d,v\ " -, v
I\/KI/r:1y temperature.After removal, the
(4-113) 0.65tion (4-118) is0.64
/e
,r-rr-errc.-:'
k(To - 71) ,l , tained at temperature ft.
0.70
Show
0.67
and evaluating the result at y
n),t:o :0 suchthat temperature0.75 radioactivity
after the removalwas o
At y : ,(erf 0, the complementary error function is 1 and 0.7
given by 0.80mate was serious 0.74
T:'lo.
k(To-Tr)/ As y
2' /a7\ --+ oo or / :0, erfc
k(To-Tt) is 0 and T: I. The
q:-kl -,,,\ 0.85 0.20
generalsolution ^ |
for I or (T-- - T) I Qo - 7i ) is shown as PROBTEM4-510.79 O
ZJxt \ ../n\d//v=0 / ,,-o Jtrct 0.90
r:n+fly+pt"rf( ^L\.
erfc 4 in Figure 4-21. 0.95of erosion on sub
0.8
A/ v \(4-116) \2Jrt /
The near-surfaceregion in which there is a significant
:-k(To-I)^ 1.0the instantaneous 0.84
temperature change ' isdY lerfc_l
referred to as a thermal How
bound- is the surface heat flow aff
face heat flux q is infinite at 1 :0 because \ 2Jrct / ,:o of I.l 0.8
Prior to the remov
ary layer. The thicknessof the thermal boundary layer of surface material?
1.2 0.9
denapplication of the d/
temperature v \
7b at r : 0. p is the geotherm
Heat
requires flow
: k(To as a function
- I );lerf
an arbitrary of the
definition, since the temperature l.l 0.91
er, q decreases with time, and the total Iheat into PROBTEM 4-54 Determine the ef
Tage of the ocean
approaches floor.
d,v\
the initial rockHSCM
"temperature
I\/KI/r:1y
-, is 7l asymptot- 1.4 temperature. Afte
0.9
i-infinite half-space up to any time, is finite; it on the surface1.5 geothermal gradi
0.9
the “half
ically. We space
define the
k(To - 71) ,l , cooling
thickness model”.
of O,
the boundary layer y7 tained at temper
by the integral of Equation (4-116) from r : 0 start of the 1.6
glacial epoch t : 0.97
-r,
asData points to
the distance arewhere
from0sedimentn),t:o
:0.1. This distancechanges
1.7 temperature after0.98
,(erf perature is +
4,given The surf'a
covered
with time as regions of the Atlantic
the half-space heats up or cools off. The 1.8
By.by
0.9
t and
condition k(To-Tr)/
PacificI : oceans.
0.1
-_7t){defines 2 a unique
-,,,\ value k(To-Tt)
of the creasesdownward.
similar- 1.9
During the
f 2k(7" 0.99
:
qitydt'variable
--r:r
ZJxt \
however. ../n From / Equation (4-rr7)-- (4-112)
Jtrct the
andsurface temperature
2.0 drops to
0.99
J, -1vo 47, ,,-o r:n+fly+pt
Table (4-5) we obtain of the glacial2.2period, t :0, 0.9 the
32 (4-116)
2.4
y-
e
at
Oceanic Lithosphere
rate of seafloor accretion is about 0.090 m2 s-t: verv
close to the long-term averagevalue.
n- - Average age of the subducted lithosphere is ~120 Myr.

For a constant rate of seafloor production and for

er
Compute the
- subduction average
at an age r, surface heat
the mean flux over
oceanic heatthis time
flow 46
es
isperiod using the half space cooling solution yields
c-
f- I f' 1 [ ' k(rt -'to) ,. 2k(T1- ro)
4 o : - I qsdt:- 1
m- t Jo r Jo ;/trrct Jnrct
(4_128)
d ⌧ = 120 Myr
p- kTaking t :1208
= 3.3 W/m/K Myr andq̄0 = 79 mW.m
the other parameters2 as
er above, we
= 1 mm 2 find that the mean oceanic heat flow is
/s 2:
4o
er ⇠ 101 mW.m
78.-5mW m-2. This is in reasonable agreement with
T1 T0 = 1300 K
the mean value of oceanic heat flow measurements
c- (101 mW m-2) given in Section zS-4.This agreemenr
33
 Summary
- Even highly simplified, 1D representations of the Earth
enable first order estimates to be made of relative
importance of radiogenic heat sources.

- In considering the global heat budget for the Earth, the

simplified 1D analysis indicates;

1. In continents, most heat is lost to the surface via

steady state conduction through the crust.

2. In the oceans, most of the cooling occurs in the

lithosphere.

34