Deep thermal state on the southern margin of the Zhangzhou Basin based on the electrical conductivity model

• A 2-D magnetotelluric survey was applied to the Zhanzhou geothermal field. • An approach using the resistivity model for estimating crust-mantle temperatures. • Exploiting thermal parameters to analyze the genesis mechanism of hot springs. Exploring the internal spatial and thermal structure of the Zhangzhou Basin is of great scientific significance in understanding the properties of the deep heat sources and the heating mechanism of hot springs in this region. This study estimates the temperature distribution within the upper mantle of the Basin's southern margin using the Arrhenius equation and Hashin-Shtrikman bounds based on a two-dimensional crust-mantle electrical resistivity model. We also employ a layered simulation technique to calculate the crustal temperature distribution using a one-dimensional steady-state heat conduction equation, constrained by the upper mantle's top and ground surface temperatures. This approach displays the characteristics of the longitudinal variations and horizontal inhomogeneities in crust-mantle temperature. Additionally, we estimate the heat flow values within the study area. Our findings reveal that: (i) the upper mantle (at depths of 30 - 50 km) exhibits a temperature range of 700 - 1100 °C, with the presence of local Moho and upper mantle uplifts; (ii) the crustal temperature spans from 21 - 900 °C, with a diminishing influence of the upper mantle uplift area on crustal temperature at shallower depths; (iii) the surface heat flow values derived from our simulations range between 87 and 100 mW/m 2 , averaging at 93.23 mW/m 2 ; (iv) the exploration of dry heat rock in this region is likely to reach a depth of at least 6 km. These results suggest that the genesis of hot springs in the study area is not solely influenced by the heat energy extracted from large-area granitic surrounding rocks during a long transport process, but is also considerably affected by local deep thermal anomalous bodies and deep-large faults.