Geothermal resource potentials estimation from the interpretation of aeromagnetic data over parts of Southwestern Nigeria

Authors

  • Emmanuel Ike
    Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria
  • Adetola Sunday Oniku
    Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria
  • Sabastine Chinedu Ezike
    Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria
  • Maxwell Obia Kanu
    Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria
  • Rodney Ewusi-Wilson
    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Cape Coast Technical University, Cape Coast, Ghana

Keywords:

Aeromagnetic, Magnetic-source-depth, Thermal gradient, Heat flow, Geothermal

Abstract

In a bid to explore unconventional electricity generation sources and reduce effects of fossil fuels, this study evaluates geothermal resource potentials over parts of Southwestern Nigeria, precisely depth to the bottom of magnetic source (DBMS), heat flow, geothermal gradient and their relationships. Regional-residual anomaly separation was conducted, and spectral analysis was applied on the residual anomaly component of 14 aeromagnetic data sheets. Depth to the bottom of magnetic source varies between 1.87 and 6.26 km, with average value of 3.50 km, heat flow varies between 23.18 and 77.38 mWm−2, with average value of 43.79 mWm−2, while geothermal gradient varies between 9.27 and 30.95 oC/km with average value of 17.52 oC/km. Northcentral region has the highest heat flow (77.4 mWm−2), followed by Northeast (68.3 mWm−2), Southwest has the least (< 40.0 mWm−2) while Southeast has values in between the extremes. A comparison between the average heat flow and that of ‘thermally stable’ continental regions of the world (60 or 65) mW/m2 gives 72.98 or 67.37% respectively. The estimated heat is probably from mantle plumes, radioactive sources or heat generated from pressures within basements that are overlaid by thick thermally insulated sediments, hence hot magmatic fluid flows into fractured basement and cause hydrothermal alterations of surrounding rocks. Since most geodynamic operations depends on thermal structure of the earth’s crust, the result of this study has undoubtedly contributed significantly to the body of existing thermal knowledge and closed the information gap regarding crustal temperature distribution at depth in Southwest part of Nigeria and Nigeria in general.

Dimensions

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Published

2024-04-22

How to Cite

Geothermal resource potentials estimation from the interpretation of aeromagnetic data over parts of Southwestern Nigeria. (2024). African Scientific Reports, 3(1), 179. https://doi.org/10.46481/asr.2024.3.1.179

Issue

Volume 3, Issue 1, April 2024

Section

GEOSCIENCES SECTION
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2024 Emmanuel Ike, Adetola Sunday Oniku, Sabastine Chinedu Ezike, Maxwell Obia Kanu, Rodney Ewusi-Wilson

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Geothermal resource potentials estimation from the interpretation of aeromagnetic data over parts of Southwestern Nigeria. (2024). African Scientific Reports, 3(1), 179. https://doi.org/10.46481/asr.2024.3.1.179

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