INFLUENCE OF RADIOACTIVE HEAT GENERATION WITHIN LITHOSPHERE ON GEOTHERMAL HISTORY OF EXTENSIONAL BASIN

The restoration of geothermal history is one of important parts in basin modelling. However, in present analysis on geotherms of extensional basins by geophysical techniques, the influence of radioactive heat generation within the lithosphere is neglected in general. In this paper, therefore, a model of heat generation by radioactive elements of the lithosphere is developed and formulae for geothermal history and subsidence history are proposed. A fact is obvious that the geothermal history of extensional basins is much affected by the heat generation of radioactive elements, therefore, it can not be overlooked in the analysis of the geothermal evolution of extensional basins.