Heterogeneous hydrologic, lithologic, and geologic basal boundary conditions can exert strong control on the evolution, stability, and sea level contribution of marine ice sheets. Geothermal flux is one of the most dynamically critical ice sheet boundary conditions but is extremely difficult to constrain at the scale required to understand and predict the behavior of rapidly changing glaciers. ...

Recent national focus on the value of increasing US supplies of indigenous renewable energy underscores the need for re-evaluating all alternatives, particularly those that are large and well distributed nationally. A panel was assembled in September 2005 to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of geothermal becoming a major supplier of primary energy for US base-load generation capa...

BACKGROUND Geothermal waters contain, among other components, soluble radon gas. Alpha radioactive radon is a health hazard to humans, especially when it gets into the respiratory tract. SPA facilities that use geothermal water can be a source of an increased radiation dose to people who stay there. Based on the available literature concerning radon concentrations, we assessed exposure to radon...

In NE Iceland there are ample geothermal resources both high temperature and low temperature geothermal fields as well as boiling low-temperature or medium enthalpy resources. It is of utmost importance not to waste the energy even where the resources are ample and cascade use of the energy is desirable. Many of the high-temperature fields in the area are now being harnessed for electricity pro...

Subsurface waters have been classified into meteoric water, ocean water, evolved connate water, magmatic water and juvenile water. Geothermal water is mostly meteoric and oceanic water although andesitic waters near subduction areas often contain significant proportions of evolved connate and magmatic waters. Geothermal waters have been classified with respect to their anion and cation contents...

The Ohaaki Geothermal field is situated in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand. It was the second geothermal field in New Zealand to be developed and is used primarily for electricity generation. Wells were first drilled in the Ohaaki field during the early 1960’s. After a period of well testing following drilling, there was a long period of field recovery until steam production for electric...

Detailed and preliminary field investigations delineating the most recent fault ruptures in vicinity of the Dixie Valley, Beowawe, and Bradys geothermal fields allow an assessment of static stress changes and their possible influences on the geothermal environments. Our models for the Dixie Valley and Beowawe regions show increased failure stress on faults and fractures associated with the geot...

Due to Iceland’s location on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, the island is provided with a great amount of geothermal energy. Hence, Iceland is well on the way to becoming completely independent of fossil fuels. Whereas high-temperature areas are mainly used for electricity generation, the more frequent low-temperature areas are utilized for direct application like space heating, bathing and greenhouse...

Examination of thousands of fluid inclusion gas analyses has led us to question some working hypotheses associated with interpretations of N2/Ar ratios in geothermal volatiles. Fluid inclusion gas analyses, some confirmed by analyses of present fluids, indicate that geothermal fluids have N2 and Ar concentrations about 10 times greater than in air saturated water. Also, high N2/Ar ratios are as...

The use of geothermal resources for space heating dominates the direct use industry with approximately 37% of all direct use development. Of this, 75% is provided by district heating systems. In fact, the earliest known commercial use of geothermal energy was in Chaudes-Aigues Cantal, France, where a district heating system was built in the 14 century. Today, geothermal district space heating p...