Abstract
The movement of heat and fluids in geothermal systems is complex. Over the past 75 years,
many scientists have applied a variety of tools to constrain the heat and mass transfer in these
systems. Refined measurements of this transfer allows for better characterization of geothermal
systems, sustainable production of suitable systems for electricity, and enhanced modeling of
the heat sources.
In this dissertation, I offer a progression of tools for measuring and/or calculating surface
heat flux in the Yellowstone Caldera. Testing of a novel calorimeter, the Ice Box Calorimeter,
to measure surface heat flux is discussed in Chapter 1. This calorimeter was an early project
in my graduate career and while it was ultimately unsuccessful for measuring heat flux in my
field site, it was beneficial for learning the nuances of heat transfer. In Chapter 2, provides a
dimensional analysis approach for calculating the conductive heat flux at the ground surface
by treating the surface as a Robin, or convective/conductive, boundary. By using this convention,
I am able to solve for the convective heat flux and relate it to the conductive heat flux
in the field. Finally, in chapter 3 a multivariate statistical approach is taken using aqueous
samples collected in Pocket Basin in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park to
make inferences regarding connectivity of the springs in the area. The statistical approach is
compared to standard geochemical tools and temperature contour maps I created from shallow
subsurface temperatures collected in the field.