Structure of Hot Spring (With Diagram) | Geothermal System | Energy Management

This figure shows a schematic diagram depicting how “hot springs (geysers)” are produced through hot magma (molten mass), the fractured crystalline rocks, the permeable rocks and percolating ground water.

Geothermal System-Hot Spring System Structure

At a depth of 5000 m or so lies an impermeable magma. Above the magma are the ‘impermeable rocks’ which are overlain by localised pockets of ‘permeable rocks’. One such localised pocket is shown in this figure. The localised pockets are bounded by fracture zones or faults along which some relative motion of rocks has occurred.

Water circulates along the fault lines. As it goes down and moves in earth’s interior it is heated by the permeable layer which is in turn heated by conduction of heat from the magma. The hot water comes out through another fault and forms a hot spring.