Abstract
Summary. Green’s function solutions are derived for the surface heat flow and the uplift caused by conductive heating when (axially symmetric) variations in heat flow occur at the base of the lithosphere. The solutions determined for different space-time dependence of the heat flux into the lithosphere illustrate that: (1) When the lateral variations in heat flux occur over short distances (in comparison to the lithospheric thickness), the amplitude of the uplift and of the anomalous surface heat flow are attenuated in comparison to the changes that would follow uniform variations; this effect is slightly more important for the surface heat flow which spreads out over larger distances. (2) There is a time lag between the uplift which starts instantly and the change in the surface heat flow. It is suggested that the model could be applied to the study of plateaux uplift of moderate amplitude such as the Black Hills or the Adirondacks, and possibly to the heating event and uplift that may have preceded the subsidence of intracontinental basins.
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