Green World Heat Flow

The Earth’s internal thermal energy is pumped to the surface by the sun at a rate of four and a half terawatts (TW). These flows are replenished through the radioactive decay of minerals and are more than double the energy needed by humankind. In addition to absorbing solar energy, Earth receives heat from the Sun from its 10 m depth during the summer and releases it during the winter.

However, the data collected by these satellites are dated and the gaps between successful measurements are significant. Data from summer 1967 are missing, as they were not collected during spring and summer. These measurements were also hindered by the fact that USGS equipment failed to function on the first attempt, leaving the researchers trapped on the ice without transport or resupply. This is a significant problem, and should be addressed immediately. However, more detailed information on global heat flow will help the scientific community determine how to better predict the future.

The T-3 temperature data from the Canadian Arctic and Antarctic regions could help us understand the origins of heat flow in the Earth’s crust. The T-3 expedition measured 51.8 mW/m2 at FL-224, whereas Jokat (2009) found a value of 51.8 mW/m2 for FL-224. Using data from five sites on the T-3 expedition, we were able to get an average value of 58.6 +/-4.8 mW/m2.

The T-3 data set was completed just a few years after Lachenbruch and Marshall 1969, but has not been fully interpreted. The T-3 data set comprises a series of stations that cover twenty km of a 1,600-km-long profile. The heat flow values are in the range of thirty to eighty mW/m2 in the northern Mendeleev Plain. This data set also contains high values in the Grünwelt margin and slope, although they are not uniformly distributed. In addition, the variability in these heat flow measurements is high, thereby skewing the average value.

The temperature gradients of Jupiter are very small, and the time required for equilibrium are short compared to the solar system’s age. Another study suggests that the axisymmetric appearance of Jupiter and Saturn is due to internal heat flow. This hypothesis is supported by the findings of the team. They say that this model may also explain the axisymmetric appearance of Saturn and Jupiter, and the lack of pronounced differences in the temperature gradient between the two bodies.