Curie-point depth from spectral analysis of magnetic data in erciyes stratovolcano (Central Turkey)

Curie-point depth and heat flow values of the Erciyes region are determined to identify the thermal regime of the Central Anatolia by applying the spectral analysis method to the magnetic anomaly data. To compute the spectrum of the data, the magnetic anomaly of the region is transformed into 2-D Fourier domain to attain the average Curie depth. This method is useful in determining the top boundary of magnetic anomaly sources and reveals the Curie depth as 13.7 km in the study area. The obtained results imply a high thermal gradient (42.3°C km-1) and corresponding heat flow values (88.8 mWm-2) in the research area. Using the temperature value measured at borehole drilled by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration of Turkey (MTA), the values for the thermal gradient and heat flow value were computed as 50.7°C km-1, 106.5 mWm-2. From the heat flow value, the Curie-point depth was determined as 11.4 km in this region. It is concluded from the obtained values that the region has very high geothermal potential caused by partial melting of the lower crust.