Geodetic Survey At Walker-Lane Transitional Zone Region (Laney, 2005)

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

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Exploration Activity: Geodetic Survey At Walker-Lane Transitional Zone Region (Laney, 2005)

Exploration Activity Details
Location	Walker-Lane Transition Zone Geothermal Region
Exploration Technique	Geodetic Survey
Activity Date
Usefulness	useful regional reconnaissance
DOE-funding	Unknown

Notes

Targeting of Potential Geothermal Resources in the Great Basin from Regional to Basin-Scale Relationships Between Geodetic Strain and Geological Structures, Geoffrey Blewitt. The objectives of this project are to assess the use of inter-seismic crustal strain rates derived from GPS-stations as an exploration tool for non-magmatic high-temperature geothermal systems, and to use this technique to target potential geothermal resources in the Great Basin. Two potential target areas were identified in year one (FY03) by regional-scale studies: (1) the area spanned by Buffalo Valley, Jersey Valley, Pleasant Valley, which is currently unexploited, and (2) as control areas, the Brady's/Desert Peak Hot Springs geothermal area which last year was investigated using geophysics and structural tectonics methods by the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy (P.I., Jim Faulds), and the Dixie Valley geothermal production area. An augmentation of FY04 funding ($40K) also allowed for the Northern Walker Lane to be studied spanning the region from the Sierra Nevada to the Brady's/Desert Peak area. In FY04, this task exceeded expectations in that a total of 56 GPS stations were established covering a much broader area than originally proposed, at no additional cost (as compared to the 20-40 stations originally proposed). This included additional coverage to the south of the Carson Sink, Edwards Creek Valley, Antelope Valley (near Austin), Granite Springs Valley, and the Lower and Upper Valleys of the Humboldt River (near Lovelock). The stations were monitored by 34 GPS receivers (19 of which were funded by this project, plus 15 by other funds not formally included in the cost sharing) that were rotated to cover all sites, so that each station records data regularly throughout the year. This newly installed network was named MAGNET, which stands for Mobile Array of GPS for NEvada Transtension. Transtension is the style of strain in the Earth's crust that we have so far identified as 'candidate' positive indicator of geothermal fields, and is characterized by the sum of shear strain (corresponding to solid body deformation) and dilatational strain (corresponding to expansion in surface area).

References

• Patrick Laney (2005) Federal Geothermal Research Program Update - Fiscal Year 2004