Thermal anomalies associated with forced and free ground-water convection in the Dead Sea rift valley

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 1997 Thermal anomalies associated with forced and free ground-water convection in the Dead Sea rift valley Haim Gvirtzman; Haim Gvirtzman 1Institute of Earth Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Grant Garven; Grant Garven 2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gdaliahu Gvirtzman Gdaliahu Gvirtzman 3Department of Geography, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1997) 109 (9): 1167–1176. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1997)109<1167:TAAWFA>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Haim Gvirtzman, Grant Garven, Gdaliahu Gvirtzman; Thermal anomalies associated with forced and free ground-water convection in the Dead Sea rift valley. GSA Bulletin 1997;; 109 (9): 1167–1176. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1997)109<1167:TAAWFA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The Dead Sea rift valley is a left-lateral transform, along which several rhomb-shaped grabens were formed. At the Sea of Galilee, which is one of these rhomb-shaped grabens, ambiguous heat fluxes were measured: 70–80 mW/m2 at the central part of the lake, 36 mW/m2 at the lake's southern coast (10 km apart), and most surprising, about 135 mW/m2 at the southern Golan Heights, 6–8 km east of the graben margin. A detailed geologic cross section, traversing the entire sedimentary basin, was constructed. The hydrodynamics in this cross section were analyzed quantitatively using a two-dimensional finite element code that solves the coupled variable-density ground-water flow and conductive-convective heat transfer equations. On the basis of numerical simulations, different mechanisms of basin-scale ground-water convection are suggested for the two sides of the rift that could influence the transport of heat: (1) forced convection (gravity-driven flow) of hot brines from deeper aquifers to the land surface at the western side; and (2) large-scale free convection (buoyancy-driven flow) of deep ground water at the eastern side. The different heat fluxes within the rift valley are attributed to the different lithologies and to the locations of specific conduits through which the hot ground waters ascend from deeper horizons. These simulations also explain the different salinities of the hot springs on the two sides of the rift. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.