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Name: Mark
Status: Other
Age: 30s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: November 28, 2002
Question:
How hot is the earth at a depth of 1 mile? I know there is a constant calculable formula for temperature as you go deeper and deeper. Therefore the temp in a cave or well or archeological dig should be an exact answer, and I would like to know what that is.


Replies:
The rate of change of temperature with depth is referred to as the geothermal gradient. The geothermal gradient varies depending on location, so there is no uniform answer. On average, the geothermal gradient is approximately 75 degrees F per mile. In volcanically active areas, the gradient can be as high as 150 degrees F per mile. In ocean trenches, the gradient may be as low as 15 degrees F per mile. Decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements may also cause localized increases in temperature in some locations.

Andrew Johnson


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