Controls of Radiogenic Heat and Moho Geometry on the Thermal Setting of the Marche Region (Central Italy): An Analytical 3D Geothermal Model

Using published cross‐sections and a series of geological constraints, a 3D geological
model of an important area of the Adriatic sector of peninsular Italy—i.e., the Marche region—was
developed. Then, an analytical procedure, taking into account the heat rising from the mantle and
the radiogenic heat produced by the crust, was applied on the pre‐built structural model, in order
to obtain the 3D geothermal setting of the entire region. The results highlighted the key role played
by the Moho geometry, particularly as a step of ~10 km occurs between the Adriatic Moho of the
subducting plate to the west and the new Tyrrhenian Moho characterizing the back‐arc area to the
west. The comparison between our results and available borehole data suggests a good fit between
the applied analytical methodology and published datasets. A visible anomaly is located at a
specific site (i.e., the coastal town of Senigallia), where it may be envisaged that fluid circulation
produced a local surface heat flow increase; this makes the Senigallia area a promising feature for
the possible exploitation of geothermal systems.