Earth’s Heat and Temperature Field

The heat stored in the Earth provides the energy which drives the thermal convection caused by thermal buoyancy in the Earth’s liquid outer core and plastic mantle. It is thus one of the main driving forces for the Earth's geodynamics and magnetic field. At the same time, geothermal energy stored in the Earth's crust at depths that can be drilled is a hitherto underutilized source of carbon dioxide-free heat and electrical energy. Exploration of Earth's thermal field requires drilling and, unlike the other geophysical fields, cannot be explored from the Earth's surface, at least not at present. The thermal field is also very sensitive to fluid flow when heat advection dominates heat conduction. This enables flow determination by thermal methods.