Coupling geophysical investigation with hydrothermal modeling to constrain the enthalpy classification of a potential geothermal resource.
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Abstract
An appreciable challenge in volcanology and geothermal resource development is to understand the relationships between volcanic systems and low-enthalpy geothermal resources. The enthalpy of an undeveloped geothermal resource in the Karckar region of Armenia is investigated by coupling geophysical and hydrothermal modeling. The results of 3-dimensional inversion of gravity data provide key inputs into a hydrothermal circulation model of the system and associated hot springs, which is used to evaluate possible geothermal system configurations. Hydraulic and thermal properties are specified using maximum a priori estimates. Limited constraints provided by temperature data collected from an existing down-gradient borehole indicate that the geothermal system can most likely be classified as low-enthalpy and liquid dominated. We find the heat source for the system is likely cooling quartz monzonite intrusions in the shallow subsurface and that meteoric recharge in the pull-apart basin circulates to depth, rises along basin-bounding faults and discharges at the hot springs. While other combinations of subsurface properties and geothermal system configurations may fit the temperature distribution equally well, we demonstrate that the low-enthalpy system is reasonably explained based largely on interpretation of surface geophysical data and relatively simple models.
Study Area
Publication type | Article |
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Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Title | Coupling geophysical investigation with hydrothermal modeling to constrain the enthalpy classification of a potential geothermal resource. |
Series title | Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research |
DOI | 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2015.03.020 |
Volume | 298 |
Year Published | 2015 |
Language | English |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Publisher location | Amsterdam |
Contributing office(s) | Texas Water Science Center |
Description | 12 p. |
First page | 59 |
Last page | 70 |
Country | Armenia |
Other Geospatial | Karckar Region |
Online Only (Y/N) | N |
Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |