Numerical Modelling to Evaluate Sedimentation Effects on Heat Flow and Subsidence during Continental Rifting

Sedimentation impacts thermal and subsidence evolution in continental rifting. Estimating the blanketing effect of sediments is crucial to reconstructing the heat flow during rifting. The sedimentary load affects the basin subsidence rate. Numerical investigation of these effects requires active and complex simulations of the thermal structure, lithospheric stretching, and sedimentation. In this paper, we introduce a numerical model to quantify these effects, which was developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics® simulation software. Our numerical setting for the analytical and numerical solutions of thermal structure and subsidence is based on previous continental rifting studies. In our model, we accumulate a column of 5 m thick sediment layers with varied stretching factors and sedimentation rates, spanning the syn-rift to early post-rift phases over a period of 12 myr. Our results provide intuitive models to understand these sedimentation effects. The models show that an increase in sedimentation thickness significantly decreases surface heat flow, leading to lower geothermal temperature, and amplifies the subsidence magnitude. The findings also demonstrate that increases in the stretching factor and sedimentation rate enhance the blanketing effect and subsidence rate. Based on these results, we discuss key outcomes for geological applications and the possible limitations of our approach.

Download Full-text

Effect of magnetic field on nanofluid free convection in Conical Partially Annular Space

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/202033001005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 330 ◽

pp. 01005

Author(s):

Abderrahmane AISSA ◽

Mohamed Amine MEDEBBER ◽

Khaled Al-Farhany ◽

Mohammed SAHNOUN ◽

Ali Khaleel Kareem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Hartmann Number ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Boussinesq Approximation ◽

Simulation Software ◽

Comsol Multiphysics ◽

Governing Equations ◽

Element Analysis ◽

Vertical Side ◽

Side Walls

Natural convection of a magneto hydrodynamic nanofluid in a porous cavity in the presence of a magnetic field is investigated. The two vertical side walls are held isothermally at temperatures Th and Tc, while the horizontal walls of the outer cone are adiabatic. The governing equations obtained with the Boussinesq approximation are solved using Comsol Multiphysics finite element analysis and simulation software. Impact of Rayleigh number (Ra), Hartmann number (Ha) and nanofluid volume fraction (ϕ) are depicted. Results indicated that temperature gradient increases considerably with enhance of Ra and ϕ but it reduces with increases of Ha.

Download Full-text

Present-day geothermal regime of the Uliastai Depression, Erlian Basin, North China

Energy Exploration & Exploitation ◽

10.1177/0144598718785970 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 770-786 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Wei Xu ◽

Shaopeng Huang ◽

Jiong Zhang ◽

Ruyang Yu ◽

Yinhui Zuo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Conductivity ◽

Heat Flow ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Rheological Characteristic ◽

Rheological Parameter ◽

Lithospheric Thickness ◽

Terrestrial Heat Flow ◽

Geothermal Regime ◽

Mantle Heat Flow ◽

Erlian Basin

In this study, we calculated the present-day terrestrial heat flow of the Uliastai Depression in Erlian Basin by using systematical steady-state temperature data obtained from four deep boreholes and 89 thermal conductivity measurements from 22 boreholes. Then, we calculated the lithospheric thermal structure, thermal lithospheric thickness, and lithospheric thermo-rheological structure by combining crustal structure, thermal conductivity, heat production, and rheological parameter data. Research from the Depression shows that the present-day terrestrial heat flow ( qs) is 86.3 ± 2.3 mW/m2, higher than the average of 60.4 ± 12.3 mW/m2 of the continental area of China. Mantle heat flow ( qm) in the Depression ranges from 33.7 to 39.3 mW/m2, qm/ qs ranges from 40 to 44%, show that the crust plays the dominant position in the terrestrial heat flow. The thermal thickness of the lithosphere is about 74–88 km and characterized by a “strong crust–weak mantle” rheological characteristic. The total lithospheric strength is 1.5 × 1012 N/m under wet mantle conditions. Present-day geothermal regime indicates that the Uliastai Depression has a high thermal background, the activity of the deep-seated lithosphere is relatively intense. This result differs significantly from the earlier understanding that the area belongs to a cold basin. However, a hot basin should be better consistent with the evidences from lithochemistry and geophysical observations. The results also show the melts/fluids in the study area may be related to the subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. The study of the geothermal regime in the Uliastai Depression provides new geothermal evidence for the volcanic activity in the eastern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and has significant implications for the geodynamic characteristics.

Download Full-text

A Method for Harvesting Energy Using Piezoelectric Transducers

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.727-728.607 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 727-728 ◽

pp. 607-611 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kshitij Chopra ◽

Kritika Nigam ◽

Sujata Pandey

Keyword(s):

Zinc Oxide ◽

Simulation Software ◽

Piezoelectric Transducers ◽

Comsol Multiphysics ◽

Ambient Vibrations ◽

Multiphysics Simulation

This paper analyses the behaviour ofpiezoelectric transducer for harvesting energy. The transducer was designedusing different materials for harnessing energy that include Zinc Oxide, LeadZirconate Titanate (PZT-2) and Quartz. The transducer was simulated using thesematerials and the voltage generated from ambient vibrations was analysed. MEMsmodule of COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation software was used to perform thesimulations. Behaviour of different materials towards various frequencies madeknown in this study gives an opportunity to estimate the fabricated device and alsosheds light on prospective applications it fits.

Download Full-text

Heat Flow, Geotherms, Density and Lithosphere Thickness in SW of Iberia (South of Portugal)

10.31214/ijthfa.v1i1.9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 18-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maria Rosa Alves Duque

Keyword(s):

Heat Flow ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Average Density ◽

Ore Deposits ◽

Flow Density ◽

The South ◽

Lithosphere Thickness ◽

Structure Density ◽

Using Data ◽

Lateral Variations

Thermal structure, density distribution and lithosphere thickness in the SW part of the Iberian Peninsula are studied using data obtained in the South Portuguese Zone (SPZ) and SW border of the Ossa Morena Zone (OMZ) in the South of Portugal. Five different regions were defined, and models were built for each region. Geotherms were obtained using average density values from data published. The high values of heat flow density in these regions are attributed to occurrence of anomalous heat sources due to radioactivity content and exothermic chemical reactions associated to ore deposits in the zone. The results obtained with models based on isostasy in the region led to lithosphere thickness values between 95 and 96 km in the SPZ and a lower value of 94.5 km in the SW border of the OMZ. Analysis of geotherms shows lateral variations of temperature at the same depth. These lateral variations are compared with information obtained with seismic data.

Download Full-text

Heat flow distribution and thermal structure of the Nankai subduction zone off the Kii Peninsula

Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems ◽

10.1029/2011gc003623 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. n/a-n/a ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Hideki Hamamoto ◽

Makoto Yamano ◽

Shusaku Goto ◽

Masataka Kinoshita ◽

Keiko Fujino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Flow ◽

Subduction Zone ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Flow Distribution ◽

Kii Peninsula ◽

Nankai Subduction Zone

Download Full-text

Surface heat flow and lithosphere thermal structure of the Rhenohercynian Zone in the greater Luxembourg region

Geothermics ◽

10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.03.007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 56 ◽

pp. 93-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Tom Schintgen ◽

Andrea Förster ◽

Hans-Jürgen Förster ◽

Ben Norden

Keyword(s):

Heat Flow ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Surface Heat ◽

Surface Heat Flow ◽

Rhenohercynian Zone

Download Full-text

Sensitivity Analysis of the Tetrapolar Electrical Impedance Measurement Systems Using COMSOL Multiphysics for the non-uniform and Inhomogeneous Medium

Dhaka University Journal of Science ◽

10.3329/dujs.v64i1.28517 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 7-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Onic Islam Shuvo ◽

Md Naimul Islam

Keyword(s):

Finite Element Method ◽

Sensitivity Analysis ◽

Finite Element ◽

Inhomogeneous Medium ◽

Electrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Measurement ◽

Simulation Software ◽

Comsol Multiphysics ◽

Sensitivity Distribution ◽

Element Method

One of the major problems with Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is the lack of spatial sensitivity within the measured volume. In this paper, sensitivity distribution of the tetrapolar impedance measurement system was visualized considering a cylindrical phantom consisting of homogeneous and inhomogeneous medium. Previously, sensitivity distribution was analysed analytically only for the homogeneous medium considering simple geometries and the distribution was found to be complex1,2. However, for the inhomogeneous volume conductors sensitivity analysis needs to be done using finite element method (FEM). In this paper, the results of sensitivity analysis based on finite element method using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation software are presented. A cylindrical non-uniform, inhomogeneous phantom, which mimics the human upper arm, was chosen to do the experiments by varying different parameters of interest. A successful method for controlling the region of interest was found where the sensitivity was maximum. Refining the finite element mesh size and introducing multifrequency input current (up to 1 MHz) this simulation method can be further improved.Dhaka Univ. J. Sci. 64(1): 7-13, 2016 (January)

Download Full-text

Adjoint inversion of the thermal structure of Southeastern Australia

Geophysical Journal International ◽

10.1093/gji/ggz368 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 219 (3) ◽

pp. 1648-1659 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B Mather ◽

L Moresi ◽

P Rayner

Keyword(s):

Thermal Properties ◽

Heat Flow ◽

Heat Production ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Surface Heat ◽

Flow Data ◽

Data Set ◽

Surface Heat Flow ◽

Southeastern Australia ◽

Curie Depth

SUMMARY The variation of temperature in the crust is difficult to quantify due to the sparsity of surface heat flow observations and lack of measurements on the thermal properties of rocks at depth. We examine the degree to which the thermal structure of the crust can be constrained from the Curie depth and surface heat flow data in Southeastern Australia. We cast the inverse problem of heat conduction within a Bayesian framework and derive its adjoint so that we can efficiently find the optimal model that best reproduces the data and prior information on the thermal properties of the crust. Efficiency gains obtained from the adjoint method facilitate a detailed exploration of thermal structure in SE Australia, where we predict high temperatures within Precambrian rocks of 650 °C due to relatively high rates of heat production (0.9–1.4 μW m−3). In contrast, temperatures within dominantly Phanerozoic crust reach only 520 °C at the Moho due to the low rates of heat production in Cambrian mafic volcanics. A combination of the Curie depth and heat flow data is required to constrain the uncertainty of lower crustal temperatures to ±73 °C. We also show that parts of the crust are unconstrained if either data set is omitted from the inversion.

Download Full-text