This chapter discusses the thermal regime of the lithosphere constrained by surface heat flow measurements. Other methods used to assess thermal structure of the lithosphere, such as xenolith geotherms and conversions of seismic velocities and seismic attenuation to mantle temperatures are discussed in Chapter 5. The goal of such a subdivision of constraints on crustal and upper mantle temperatures is to separate thermal models related to the global heat flow balance of the Earth from thermal models coming from, largely, non-potential field data.

The number of broad overviews of geothermal studies is limited (e.g. Sclater et al., 1980; Stein, 1995). Pollack et al. (1993) provide an overview of global patterns of surface heat flow based on their compilation of a significant portion of borehole measurements available at that time. Overviews of the thermal regime of the lithosphere are given by Stein and Stein (1992) for the oceans and by Artemieva and Mooney (2001) and Artemieva (2006) for the continents. Beardsmore and Cull (2001) review practical applications of heat flow measurements, largely in relation to geothermal exploration. Jaupart and Mareschal (2004) discuss data on heat production and its contribution to surface heat flow, and a new monograph addressing various aspects of geothermal research is being published (Jaupart and Mareschal, 2010).