| Abstract |
The importance of geothermal energy is growing due to environmental concerns. Geothermal energy is increasingly being utilized all over the world due to its low emissions, renewability, and low investment cost. Soil gases have been used as an exploration tool for geothermal energy (Tonami, 1970; Finlayson, 1992; Corozza et al., 1993; Cardellini et al., 2003; Werner and Cardellini, 2006). A soil gas survey has been carried out in Altinoluk, Turkey. 222Rn, CO2, CH4, and N2O, concentrations were determined in 250 samples. The distribution of 13C isotope and N2O gases allows one to distinguish between bacterial and geothermal gases. A first evaluation of the 222Rn (KbBq/m3) and CO2 concentrations was carried out in an area of tectonic activity, and anomalous emissions of soil gases in the particular points were considered. Further evaluation, which included the isotopic composition of 13C in CO2 and other soil gases, indicated geothermal activity. Consequently, this case history covers a successful application of the “sniffing” technique to investigate geothermal potential. |