Marine Heat Flow Measurements in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and in the Vicinity of Iceland

Abstract

We report 55 new measurements of heat flow in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and 29 new measurements on the flanks of the Reykjanes Ridge. Interpretations of the data are based only on the most reliable measurements in areas with a low probability of environment disturbance to the heat flow. The results in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea show the expected decrease in heat flow with distance from the presently active spreading center. Based on a simple thermal model of sea-floor spreading, the average heat flow in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea over areas of the sea floor that can be dated is 2.7 HFU, which is anomalously high compared to other oceans of comparable age. Measurements at distances greater than 100 km from the Reykjanes Ridge axis show a steady decrease with age, and when age is taken into account the heat flow is also anomalously high relative to other spreading centers.