General and Practical Geothermics

General geothermics deals with the thermal state of our Earth as a whole, and practical geothermics is concerned with prospecting for and development of geothermal heat. Both divisions of this field, however, contribute practical insights and improved methods of temperature and heat flow estimation that have helped to give us a better picture of detailed thermal conditions. The constantly growing demand for energy, coupled with realization that fossil energy reserves are limited, has helped bolster the subject of geothermics to its present level of significance. For those educational institutions that offer courses in the subject matter, geothermics is usually taught as part of a curriculum in geology, particularly geophysics.

My research in this area explores the various techniques by which we gather geothermal resources data, including direct & field measurements of thermal conductivity and temperature. I also attempt to computationally model crustal thermal regime and heat flow conditions.

Daniel Burke Brunson
Daniel Burke Brunson
Ph.D. Candidate

Daniel Burke Brunson is a doctoral student in Geology at the University of North Dakota Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering in Grand Forks, ND.