Thermal conductivity of rocks from measurements on fragments and its application to heat-flow determinations

Journal of Geophysical Research (1896-1977)Volume 76, Issue 14 p. 3391-3401 Thermal conductivity of rocks from measurements on fragments and its application to heat-flow determinations J. H. Sass, J. H. SassSearch for more papers by this authorArthur H. Lachenbruch, Arthur H. LachenbruchSearch for more papers by this authorRobert J. Munroe, Robert J. MunroeSearch for more papers by this author J. H. Sass, J. H. SassSearch for more papers by this authorArthur H. Lachenbruch, Arthur H. LachenbruchSearch for more papers by this authorRobert J. Munroe, Robert J. MunroeSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 May 1971 https://doi.org/10.1029/JB076i014p03391Citations: 302AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Abstract A series of measurements indicates that the thermal conductivity of a rock generally can be estimated adequately for geophysical purposes from simple laboratory measurements on fragments of the rock. The solid-rock conductivity is deduced from a divided-bar measurement of the conductivity of a cylindrical cell containing water-saturated rock fragments. All determinations fall within about ten per cent of conventionally measured solid-rock values for a variety of crystalline and sedimentary rocks with conductivities ranging from about 3 to 14 mcal/cm sec°C. Good agreement is found between values determined from drill cuttings and solid core from the same depth in deep boreholes. The method is illustrated by the determination of heat flow in a 3-km-deep borehole near Tehran, Iran (35°40′N latitude, 51°37′E longitude; elevation, 1710 meters). Contrasting gradients are compensated by conductivity variations determined from drill cuttings. Component heat flows show good agreement with a mean of 2.1±0.1 μcal/cm2 sec. References Birch, F., Flow of heat on the Front Range, Colorado, Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., 61, 567, 1950. Birch, F., H. Clark, The thermal conductivity of rocks and its dependence on temperature and composition, Amer. J. Sci., 238, 529613, 1940. Combs, J., G. Simmons, Heat-flow measurements in Iowa (abstract), Trans. AGU, 50, 316, 1969. Hashin, Z., S. Shtrikman, A variational approach to the theory of the effective magnetic permeability of multiphase materials, J. Appl. Phys., 33, 3125, 1962. Horai, K., G. Simmons, Thermal conductivity of rock-forming minerals, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 6, 359, 1969. Horai, K., S. Uyeda, Studies of the thermal state of the earth, 5, Relation between thermal conductivity of sedimentary rocks and water content, Bull. Earthquake Res. Inst. Tokyo Univ., 38, 199, 1960. Riviere, A., Contribution à l'étude géologique de l'Anti-Elbourz, Bull., Societé Géologique de France, Ser. 5, 6, 277, 1936. Roy, R. F., D. D. Blackwell, F. Birch, Heat generation of plutonic rocks and continental heat-flow provinces, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 5, 1, 1968. Sass, J. H., R. J. Munroe, A. H. Lachenbruch, Measurement of geothermal flux through poorly consolidated sediments, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 4, 293, 1968. Stocklin, J., Structural history and tectonics of Iran: A Review, Bull. Amer. Ass. Petrol. Geol., 52, 1229, 1968. Venart, J. E. S., C. Krishnamurthy, The thermal conductivity of pure organic liquids, Thermal Conductivity D. R. Flynn, B. A. Peavey, Nat. Bur. Stand. Spec. Publ., 302, 659, 1968. Von Herzen, R., A. E. Maxwell, Measurements of thermal conductivity of deep-sea sediments by a needle-probe method, J. Geophys. Res., 64, 1557, 1959. Walsh, J. B., E. R. Decker, Effect of pressure and saturating fluid on the thermal conductivity of compact rock, J. Geophys. Res., 71, 3053, 1966. Woodside, W., J. H. Messmer, Thermal conductivity of porous media, J. Appl. Phys., 32, 1688, 1961. Citing Literature Volume76, Issue1410 May 1971Pages 3391-3401 ReferencesRelatedInformation