A reference Earth model for the heat producing elements and associated geoneutrino flux

Understand

The recent geoneutrino experimental results from KamLAND and Borexino detectors reveal the usefulness of analyzing the Earth geoneutrino flux, as it provides a constraint on the strength of the radiogenic heat power and this, in turn, provides a test of compositional models of the bulk silicate Earth (BSE).

• This flux is dependent on the amount and distribution of heat producing elements (HPEs: U, Th and K) in the Earth interior.
• We have developed a geophysically-based, three-dimensional global reference model for the abundances and distributions of HPEs in the BSE.
• The structure and composition of the outermost portion of the Earth, the crust and underlying lithospheric mantle, is detailed in the reference model, this portion of the Earth has the greatest influence on the geoneutrino fluxes.