Radiogenic heat production from rocks of the crystalline basement within Belarus

Authors

  • Vladimir I. Zui Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus
  • Elisaveta I. Loseva Research and Production Center for Geology, 7 Akademika Kuprevicha Street, Minsk 220084, Belarus

Keywords:

geothermics, heat flow, long living radioactive isotopes, heat production, radiometer

Abstract

Heat flow density is the most representative parameter characterising the lithospheric thermal regime. Its formation includes two simultaneous processes: the entry of its first part from the mantle into the base of the crust, as well as the generation of the second part in rocks that make up the Earth’s crust due to the decay of radioactive isotopes. It is known as a radiogenic heat production. The main part of the production rate within the crust is the decay of long living isotopes of Uranium, Thorium and Potassium. Other radioactive isotopes are taken into account seldom. Most researchers don’t take into account also the heat production within shallow sedimentary cover overlying the crust. The territory of Belarus belongs to the Precambrian East European Platform. Its crystalline basement is hidden under rather thin sediments. A number of irregularly spaced boreholes were drilled into the crystalline basement. More than 420 rock samples of crystalline rocks were collected from their drill cores and analysed for the concentration of long living radioactive isotopes in laboratory conditions using the RUG-91M «Adani» gamma-radiometer. The calculated heat production is varied in a wide range with the tendency of its higher values for acid crystalline rocks. Considerably lower heat generation relates to rocks of basis composition. In practice it is possible to get rock samples only for the uppermost drilled horizons of the crust. Due to a lack of crystalline rock samples for deeper horizons, several models of heat production variation with depth derived from seismic velocities are widely used for the whole crustal section.

Author Biographies

  • Vladimir I. Zui, Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

    doctor of science (geology and mineralogy), full professor; professor at the department of regional geology, faculty of geography and geoinformatics

     

  • Elisaveta I. Loseva, Research and Production Center for Geology, 7 Akademika Kuprevicha Street, Minsk 220084, Belarus

    junior researcher

     

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Published

2023-12-28

Issue

No. 2 (2023): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Geography and Geology

Section

Geology

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How to Cite

[1]
Zui, V.I. and Loseva, E.I. 2023. Radiogenic heat production from rocks of the crystalline basement within Belarus. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Geography and Geology. 2 (Dec. 2023), 90–104.