Models for Constraining Thermal Structure of the Indian Crust

Abstract

Knowledge of the thermal structure of the Indian crust is needed to unravel its geological history. The present thermal structure of the crust can be constructed using the available heat flow and radiogenic heat data with steady state heat conduction models. We have summarised several steady state heat conduction models with temperature dependent thermal conductivity and depth dependent radiogenic heat. Thermal models are also needed to study the influences of heat addition to the crust, reordering of heat sources, increase in the mantle heat flux and temperature, uplift and erosion and fluid transport in the Indian crust. We have also summarised several thermal models useful in constraining above processes. Applications of these models to the Indian shield have been done in some special cases which are also reviewed. It is emphasised that progress in deciphering actions of geological processes from signatures embedded in the Indian crust requires confronting thermal models of the processes with the geophysical data.