TERRESTRIAL HEAT FLOW IN PERSIA

Summary Measurements are described which permit the determination of the terrestrial heat flow in eighteen bore holes in S.W. Persia. The variations of heat flow that are found to exist can to a large extent be explained by the geological structure. The influence of topographic irregularities, climatic changes, recent tectonic movements and denudation upon the heat flow is discussed. If we assume that the climate has become warmer in the last 10,000 years this may have reduced the terrestrial heat flow by at most 0.31×10−6 cal./cm.2 sec. The other agencies discussed have only a small influence upon the observed heat flow. The mean value of the heat flow in eighteen bore holes is 0.87×10−6 cal./cm.2 sec. This is a low value, but it agrees rather well with the recently determined values of 0.98×10−6 in Great Britain and 1.16×10−6 in South Africa.