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Resistivity survey on the plate boundaries in the western Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Conference · · Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6741155

A resistivity survey in the western Reykjanes Peninsula consisted of about 200 Schlumberger geoelectric soundings. It revealed a continuous east-west striking low resistivity zone which coincides fairly closely with the Reykjanes seismic zone that has been interpreted as plate boundaries. This low resistivity zone includes at least two but probably all three of the high temperature geothermal areas in the region. Study of correlation between resistivity, salinity and temperature seem to confirm that the low resistivity can only be explained by anomalously high heat flow. This indicates that exploitable geothermal energy may be found in the uppermost 1-2 km along the plate boundaries on the Reykjanes Peninsula even far away from surface manifestations; this may be of great economic significance in the future.

Research Organization:
National Energy Authority, Reykjavik, Iceland
OSTI ID:
6741155
Report Number(s):
CONF-811015-
Journal Information:
Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States) Vol. 5; ISSN TGRCD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English