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Grids in support of the U.S. Geological Survey Thermal Model for Seismic Hazard Studies

Metadata Updated: July 6, 2024

A 3D temperature model is constructed in order to support the estimation of physical parameters within the USGS National Crustal Model. The crustal model is defined by a geological framework consisting of various lithologies with distinct mineral compositions. A temperature model is needed to calculate mineral density and bulk and shear modulus as a function of position within the crust. These properties control seismic velocity and impedance, which are needed to accurately estimate earthquake travel times and seismic amplitudes in earthquake hazard analyses. The temperature model is constrained by observations of surface temperature, temperature gradient, and conductivity, inferred Moho temperature and depth, and assumed conductivity at the base of the crust. The continental plate is assumed to have heat production that decreases exponentially with depth and thermal conductivity that exponentially changes from a surface value to 3.6 W/m-K at the Moho. The oceanic plate cools as a halfspace with a geotherm dependent on plate age. Under these conditions and the application of observed surface heat production, predicted Moho temperatures match Moho temperatures inferred from Pn velocities, on average. As has been noted in previous studies, high crustal temperatures are found in the western United States, particularly beneath areas of recent volcanism. In the central and eastern United States, elevated temperatures are found from southeast Texas, into the Mississippi Embayment, and up through Wisconsin.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date June 1, 2023
Metadata Updated Date July 6, 2024

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI EDI

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date June 1, 2023
Metadata Updated Date July 6, 2024
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
@Id http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/8366eb1e02cfe9ed2b07c57dc485ab95
Identifier USGS:5d5c5610e4b01d82ce8fc203
Data Last Modified 20200929
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://datainventory.doi.gov/data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id a3f4045e-ab2a-4cef-987f-4544ea25f0db
Harvest Source Id 52bfcc16-6e15-478f-809a-b1bc76f1aeda
Harvest Source Title DOI EDI
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -130.0,22.0,-63.0,53.0
Publisher Hierarchy White House > U.S. Department of the Interior > U.S. Geological Survey
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 5c2d2447da5e29d4d9df8d76d403cae4fd594f749bb20e5b66e36f39ee0fcde8
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -130.0, 22.0, -130.0, 53.0, -63.0, 53.0, -63.0, 22.0, -130.0, 22.0}

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