Kuforijimi Olorunsola and Chibuzor G Chukwu
This study explored the trend analysis and the heat flow potentiality of the Upper Bida basin using Curie point depths derived from residual magnetic field data. The study area lies between latitudes 9o00’N and 10o30’N and longitudes 4o30’E and 6o30’E. Digitized data of twelve (12) 1/2o by 1/2o aeromagnetic maps covering the study area were combined to get the total magnetic intensity (TMI) anomaly map. Polynomial method of filtering was applied to obtain a residual data. The filtered residual data was Fourier transformed after dividing the whole area into thirteen overlapping blocks for spectral analysis. The graphs of the logarithm of the Spectral energies against their corresponding wave-numbers were plotted. The top and bottom of the magnetized crust were calculated using the power-density spectra of the residual total magnetic field. The results of the analysis show that heat flow varies between 53.34 and 113.47 mWm-2. In the central part (Kainji, Fashe, Akere and Zungeru) and the northern part (Auna, Kotangora, Bobi and Tegina) of the study area, the heat flow was found to be less than 100 mWm-2. Anomalous heat flow values above 100 mWm-2 which is an indication of possible volcanic potentials were found around Jebba, Mokwa and Bida in the southern part of the study area. This part of the study area is suggested for further studies using radiometric data and Thermal Response Test (TRT).
