Abstract:
A case study of a heat flow anomaly in the E Midlands of England is reported. The anomaly has been suggested to be an effect of water movement at depth within the E Midlands basin, with recharge to the Lower Carboniferous limestones in their outcrop, eastward movement and ascent of water up a steep faulted anticline at Eakring where the heat flow measurements were made. Numerical modelling of heat and fluid flow has been undertaken for a section running from the Peak District through Eakring to the coast. The results indicate that, although an anomaly is expected for reasonable values of hydrological parameters, its magnitude is less than that observed. The geological structure at Eakring is such that three-dimensional flow is likely to be important, and this could easily account for the discrepancy between the modelling results and the observations. The regional water flow regime has other effects on heat flow, notably the depression of heat flow above the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer