Geothermal

Geothermal

Geothermal gradient is the rate of increasing temperature with respect to increasing depth in the Earth's interior. Away from tectonic plate boundaries, it is 22.1°C per km of depth (1°F per 70 feet of depth) in most of the world. Strictly speaking, geo-thermal necessarily refers to the Earth but the concept may be applied to other planets.

Industry: Energy

Add a new term

Contributors in Geothermal

Become a Contributors

Geothermal

plate tectonics

Energy; Geothermal

A theory of global-scale dynamics involving the movement of many rigid plates of the Earth's crust. Tectonic activity is evident along the margins of the plates where buckling, grinding, faulting, ...

radiogenic

Energy; Geothermal

Produced by radioactive decay, eg, the heat and isotopes produced as a result of the decay of uranium in the Earth’s crust are radiogenic.

reservoir

Energy; Geothermal

A natural underground container of liquids, such as water or steam (or, in the petroleum context, oil or gas).

salinity

Energy; Geothermal

A measure of the quantity or concentration of dissolved salts in water.

sedimentary

Energy; Geothermal

A class of rocks that are formed from sediments eg, sandstone or from precipitation of chemicals from solution eg, limestone.

tectonic plate

Energy; Geothermal

The Earth’s crust is broken up into a series of large areas or tectonic plates. These plates move slowly on top of the currents in the semi-liquid mantle below them. Volcanoes, earthquakes, geysers ...