Articles | Volume 18, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-4639-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-4639-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description article
| 
06 Jul 2026
Data description article |
| 06 Jul 2026
| 06 Jul 2026
The 2024 release of the Global Heat Flow Database (GHFDB): quality assessment, metadata standards, and a century of geothermal data
MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28334, Germany
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Ben Norden
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Elif Balkan-Pazvantoğlu
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Dokuz Eylül University, Department of Geophysical Engineering, Izmir, 35390, Türkiye
Samah Elbarbary
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Alexey G. Petrunin
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Section Geodynamic Modeling, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Kirsten Elger
Section Data and Information Management, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Samuel Jennings
Section Data and Information Management, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Viktoria Dergunova
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
Section Geoenergy, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, 14471, Germany
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To make better use of underground heat storage, we need to understand how water flows through deep rock layers. Normally, this is tested after drilling is finished, but we tried doing it during an earlier stage to save time and effort. At a site in Berlin, we tested a new way to measure how water moves through rock while the borehole was still being developed. The method worked well and gives quicker, reliable insights into underground conditions.
Evgeniia Martuganova, Manfred Stiller, Ben Norden, Jan Henninges, and Charlotte M. Krawczyk
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We demonstrate the applicability of vertical seismic profiling (VSP) acquired using wireline distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology for deep geothermal reservoir imaging and characterization. Borehole DAS data provide critical input for seismic interpretation and help assess small-scale geological structures. This case study can be used as a basis for detailed structural exploration of geothermal reservoirs and provide insightful information for geothermal exploration projects.
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Short summary
The Global Heat Flow Database grew from 58,302 data points in 2012 to 91,182 in 2024, with enhanced quality assessments. Despite this, gaps in data and methodological details persist, especially in underrepresented regions. The database is crucial for geophysical, geothermal, and environmental research, offering valuable insights into Earth's thermal processes.
The Global Heat Flow Database grew from 58,302 data points in 2012 to 91,182 in 2024, with...
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