Heat flow through the Dead Sea rift

Geothermal measurements utilizing a special probe designed for the determination of heat flow in lakes have been made in the water-covered portions of the Dead Sea rift, i.e., Lake Kinneret, the Dead Sea and the northern part of the Gulf of Elat. Corrections have been applied for variations in bottom water temperature, sedimentation and topography. The preliminary results indicate a low to normal heat flow along the Dead Sea rift: the average of values in Lake Kinneret is 1.8 H.F.U., in the Dead Sea 0.7 H.F.U., and in the northern part of the Gulf of Elat 1.6 H.F.U. The values in the Dead Sea are comparable to other nearby continental values in Israel, and to those in the eastern Mediterranean.