Terrestrial heat flow and lithospheric thermal structure of Gaoyang low uplift in Jizhong depression, North China

Gaoyang Low Uplift, situated in Jizhong Depression's central region, is a key geothermal zone in the North China Plain yet remains under-researched regarding its geothermal characteristics. This study selects it as a model area, probing into the ground heat flow and lithospheric thermal structure of its southern and northern parts via geothermal logging and rock-sample tests. By integrating regional tectonic evolution and stratigraphic and structural distribution, the study highlights the significance of various parameters in understanding the lithospheric thermal structure for geothermal resource development in the area. The advantageous geothermal conditions in the northern region stem from several factors: higher mantle heat flow and higher deep temperatures, a thinner lithosphere, shallowly buried carbonate geothermal reservoirs, and extensive extensional water-conducting faults within the Cenozoic strata. Here, mantle heat flow is the key driver of geothermal resources formation. By influencing the strength of geological activity, it in turn affects the other factors.