Shallow Thermal Anomalies Identified at Columbus Marsh (Posted 4/17/09)

 A joint research project between the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy, the Desert Research Institute, and SpecTIR Corp. is assessing the utility of state-of-the-art airborne hyperspectral imagery and shallow 2-meter temperature probes to explore for geothermal resources in the Columbus Marsh area of Esmeralda County, Nevada.  This project, led by Chris Kratt of the Desert Research Institute, is still in progress, but an initial shallow temperature survey has identified two areas with anomalously high temperatures at two-meters depth, one on the north side of the Columbus Marsh playa and the other on the southwestern side at the approximate coordinates of 406,175 E, 4,209,970 N (UTM zone 11N, NAD83).  The southwestern anomaly is upgradient from several sulfate and borate occurrences in the playa identified in the hyperspectral imagery.  More detailed shallow temperature mapping will be completed over the next few months to determine the size and strength of the southwestern anomaly and its possible relationship to geothermal activity at depth.

Click here for a closeup of the Columbus Marsh survey. 

Click here for an updated version of the Columbus Marsh survey (5/15/09).

For more information on the shallow temperature technique see:  http://www.unr.edu/geothermal/tgrad.html.