Low Heat Flow in the Anhydros Basin, Aegean Sea, Recorded by Deep Subsurface Temperatures

Abstract Subseafloor in situ temperatures in a drilled hole in the Anhydros Basin, Aegean Sea, measured during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 398, yielded a low heat flow (<0.023 W/m 2 ) despite active magmatism and rifting in the region. The coldest and highest temperatures were 13.9°C at 52.5 m below seafloor (mbsf) and 15.5°C for the deepest measurement at 360.4 mbsf, respectively. Comparison of a heat transfer model with measurements suggests that sea bottom temperatures during the last glacial period were up to 10°C cooler than Holocene temperatures. The magnitude of Holocene warming co‐varies with the geothermal heat flow: if the former goes up the latter goes up. Low heat flow may arise from lateral removal of heat through deeper formations by gravity driven advection of fluids. Tectonic separation of the northwestern Anhydros Basin from the Christiana‐Santorini‐Kolumbo volcanic field may lead to minimal magmatic influences on heat flow.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Published
2025-06-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025gl115919
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.86

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article

Low Heat Flow in the Anhydros Basin, Aegean Sea, Recorded by Deep Subsurface Temperatures

Ralf Gertisser, Antony Morris, Paraskevi Nomikou, S. Beethe et al.
1 citations
Geophysical Research Letters
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
0.86
article

Low Heat Flow in the Anhydros Basin, Aegean Sea, Recorded by Deep Subsurface Temperatures

Ralf Gertisser, Antony Morris, Paraskevi Nomikou, S. Beethe, G. Kletetschka, Hehe Chen, Carole Berthod, A. Clark, Adam D. Woodhouse, Susan M. DeBari, M. C. McCanta, Yuzuru Yamamoto, T. H. Druitt, Michael Manga, Paraskevi Polymenakou, Thomas A. Ronge, R.M. Johnston, Masako Tominaga, Όλγα Κουκουσιούρα, A. Peccia, Kumar Batuk Joshi, Iona M. McIntosh, C. L. Jones, C. Hüebscher, Steffen Kutterolf, K. Pank, Alexis Bernard, Jonas Preine, T.I. Fernandez Perez
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract Subseafloor in situ temperatures in a drilled hole in the Anhydros Basin, Aegean Sea, measured during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 398, yielded a low heat flow (<0.023 W/m 2 ) despite active magmatism and rifting in the region. The coldest and highest temperatures were 13.9°C at 52.5 m below seafloor (mbsf) and 15.5°C for the deepest measurement at 360.4 mbsf, respectively. Comparison of a heat transfer model with measurements suggests that sea bottom temperatures during the last glacial period were up to 10°C cooler than Holocene temperatures. The magnitude of Holocene warming co‐varies with the geothermal heat flow: if the former goes up the latter goes up. Low heat flow may arise from lateral removal of heat through deeper formations by gravity driven advection of fluids. Tectonic separation of the northwestern Anhydros Basin from the Christiana‐Santorini‐Kolumbo volcanic field may lead to minimal magmatic influences on heat flow.

Geophysical Research LettersVol. 52(13)
University of California, Riverside (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Tasmania (AU), Planetary Science Institute (US), Oregon State University (US), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JP), University of Alaska Fairbanks (US), Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (FR), Institut de physique du globe de Paris (FR), Kent State University (US), Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (US), Universität Hamburg (DE), Central University of Himachal Pradesh (IN), Université Clermont Auvergne (FR), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), Charles University (CZ), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR), University of South Florida (US), China University of Geosciences (Beijing) (CN), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE), Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans (FR), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Western Washington University (US), Keele University (GB), Kobe University (JP), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (US), University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US), Columbia University (US), Cardiff University (GB), University of Plymouth (GB), Texas A&M University (US), University of California, Berkeley (US)
Adolph C. and Mary Sprague Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science, University of California Berkeley, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, United States Science Support Program, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, U.S. Science Support Program, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 29%
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
0.86
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