Thermal data collection in and around Japan and its implications for lithospheric rheology and deformation

Heat flow data contribute to the imaging the lithospheric thermal structure, which greatly influences tectonic and geological processes and constrains the strength of the lithosphere, the modes of deformation, and the depth distribution of earthquakes. To provide more reliable estimation of the lithospheric thermal structure, some complementary approaches are possible. One of approaches is to update and incorporate the existing thermal data. A new version of database “Thermal Data Collection in and around Japan”, which contains continuously updated of heat flow and geothermal gradient data and adds thermal conductivity data in and around Japan, has been released in March 2019 [https://www.gsj.jp/data/G01M/GSJ_MAP_TDCJ_2019.zip]. This provides an opportunity to revisit the thermal state of the lithosphere along with other geophysical/geochemical constraints and on the lithospheric rheology and deformation, which is sensitive to temperature.