Geothermal Model of the North-Eastern Region of India: Its Possibilities and Limitations

The empirical relationship between observed P_n (Sub-Moho) seismic velocities and the surface heat flow (including also the assessed crust-upper mantle temperatures) was used to improve the understanding of the regional geothermal activity of the North-Eastern Region of India. Vertical seismic velocity profile was further converted into radiogenic heat production and the knowledge of the crustal heat sources helped in both, to estimate deep temperature distribution within the crust and to evaluate the Moho heat flow. The most probable existing temperature at the crust-upper mantle boundary is between 800 and 900°C and the flow of heat from below the crust attains about 50% of observed surface heat flow, i.e, about 30mW. m^-2.