@proceedings {280,
	title = {Deep geothermal potential of New England granitoids; the Fall River Pluton, southeastern Massachusetts},
	volume = {43},
	year = {2011},
	note = {Accession Number: 2012-031359; Conference Name: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 46th annual meeting; Geological Society of America, North-Central Section, 45th annual meeting; Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Conference Date: 20110320; Language: English; Coden: GAAPBC; Collation: 1; Collation: 63; Publication Types: Abstract Only; Serial; Conference document; Updated Code: 201217; Monograph Title: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 46th annual meeting; Geological Society of America, North-Central Section, 45th annual meeting; Monograph Author(s): Anonymous; Reviewed Item: Analytic},
	month = {2011/03/01/},
	pages = {63 - 63},
	publisher = {Geological Society of America (GSA) : Boulder, CO, United States},
	address = {United States},
	abstract = {Devonian-aged plutonic rocks that are interpreted to be part of the Fall River pluton, along the southern edge of the Narragansett Basin, appear to have potential as a source of deep geothermal energy. The Narragansett Basin covers a approximately 1500 Km (super 2) area in southern Massachusetts and is dominated by complexly deformed and metamorphosed, Pennsylvanian-aged, fluvial and alluvial deposits. A northeast-striking series of brittle faults and discrete shear zones define the southern margin of the basin. Preliminary modeling of igneous and gneissic fabrics from outcrops along the southern edge of the basin show that the granite dips predominantly north, northeast. This pattern suggests that granitoids along the southern edge of the basin continue beneath the Narragansett Basin and correlate with granitoids exposed to the north. Regional joint sets in the Fall River pluton can be grouped into three dominant clusters at 350 degrees , 90 degrees , and 250 degrees based upon 86 field measurements. Low-angle sheeting joints are also common and suggest interconnected fracture networks at depth. Preliminary geochemistry from the Fall River pluton suggests that feldspars and accessory minerals contain the appropriate concentrations of heat producing elements, primarily U, Th, and K, to be a reasonable geothermal resource. K (sub 2) O values range from 2.4 to 5.0 weight percent. U and Th values (in ppm) range from 0.9 to 6.2 and 2.9 to 30.1 respectively. Assuming a relatively consistent composition at depth, a density of 2.6 kg/m (super 3) , and a thermal conductivity of 2.9 W/m degrees C, initial temperature modeling suggests average temperatures of 81 degrees C at depths of 5 kilometers and 93 degrees C at depths of 6 kilometers. Temperature estimates increase to approximately 150 degrees C and approximately 170 degrees C respectively when a two kilometer thick sediment package is modeled overlying the granitoids. The goal of current and future work is to improve assumptions about compositional uniformity as well as the regional position of granitoids at depth. At the conclusion of this work we hope to develop a protocol for studying geothermal potential of buried granitoids in New England in the absence of reliable drill-hole data. Preliminary estimates from this project suggest that basins underlain by granitoids of compositions similar to that of the Fall River pluton have reasonable potential as a deep geothermal resource.},
	keywords = {$\#$StaffPubs, depth, Economic geology, geology of energy sources 29A, Fall River Pluton, geochemistry, geothermal energy, gneisses, granites, Igneous and metamorphic petrology 05A, igneous rocks, intrusions, massachusetts, metamorphic rocks, plutonic rocks, plutons, southeastern Massachusetts, United States},
	isbn = {00167592},
	url = {https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2011NE/finalprogram/abstract_185900.htm},
	author = {Goodhue, Nathaniel and Koteas, G. Christopher and John Michael Rhodes and Stephen B Mabee}
}
@proceedings {301,
	title = {Implications for non-traditional geothermal resources in southern New England; variability in heat potential based on thermal conductivity and geochemistry studies},
	volume = {44},
	year = {2012},
	note = {Accession Number: 2012-090079; Conference Name: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 47th annual meeting; Hartford, CT, United States; Conference Date: 20120318; Language: English; Coordinates: N420000N473000W0670000W0733000; Coden: GAAPBC; Collation: 2; Collation: 76-77; Publication Types: Abstract Only; Serial; Conference document; Updated Code: 201247; Monograph Title: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 47th annual meeting; Monograph Author(s): Anonymous; Reviewed Item: Analytic},
	month = {2012/02/01/},
	pages = {76 - 77},
	publisher = {Geological Society of America (GSA) : Boulder, CO, United States},
	address = {United States},
	abstract = {Estimating geothermal potential in southern New England in the absence of borehole heat flow data or geophysical studies has led to a focus on models based on thermal conductivity, geochemistry, and density-based heat production models. Preliminary estimates of geothermal potential generally match borehole-based heat flow data from similar tectonic environments. Nevertheless, microstructural and compositional heterogeneity with depth remain largely unconstrained. The extrapolation of regional structures based on detailed field mapping has helped to improve structural projections adjacent to major basins. However, an additional source of error in models of heat potential-with-depth are thermal conductivity estimates of igneous and meta-igneous rocks throughout Massachusetts (MA) and Connecticut (CT). Over three hundred granitoid localities in MA and CT have been analyzed to date. The southern New England region can be simplified into four major litho-tectonic zones: the Taconic-Berkshire Zone of western MA and northwestern CT, The Bronson Hill Zone associated with the CT River valley, the Nashoba Zone of central MA and eastern CT, and the Milford-Dedham Zone of eastern MA and eastern CT. Granitic rocks adjacent to the CT River valley and the Narragansett Basin vary considerably in thermal conductivity. Granites adjacent to the Narragansett Basin vary from 2.9 to 3.7 W/m * K. Average thermal conductivity values, combined with modeled heat production values, produce temperatures at 3 km depth along the Narragansett Basin that approach 85-115 degrees C. Values of meta-igneous rocks from the margin of the CT River valley in MA and CT vary more considerably in thermal conductivity, from 1.8 to 3.9W/m * K. Modeled heat potentials at 3 km depths along the eastern margin of the CT River valley vary between 74-122 degrees C and appear to be largely related to compositional variation. However, local rock composition is also related to metamorphic grade and fabric development, suggesting that both fabric and composition are first order controls on thermal conductivity. Modeling based on these data set to date suggests that combining thermal conductivity, whole rock geochemistry data, and density measurements can produce accurate reconnaissance estimates of geothermal potential in southern New England.},
	keywords = {$\#$StaffPubs, chemical composition, Connecticut, Economic geology, geology of energy sources 29A, energy sources, geothermal energy, geothermal exploration, granites, heat flow, igneous rocks, massachusetts, models, New England, plutonic rocks, thermal conductivity, United States},
	isbn = {00167592},
	url = {https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2012NE/finalprogram/abstract_200837.htm},
	author = {Koteas, G. Christopher and John Michael Rhodes and Stephen B Mabee and Ryan, Amy and Schmidt, Joe and League, Corey and Goodhue, Nathaniel and Adams, Sharon A. and Gagnon, Teresa K. and Thomas, Margaret A.}
}
