The first continental and oceanic heat flow measurements were reported in 1939 and 1952, respectively. Only in the last quarter century, however, has the establishment and growth of a global heat flow data set allowed significant geophysical and statistical interpretations of the magnitude and distribution of the heat conducted to the surface of the earth from its interior. The last published compilation of a global data set was by A. M. Jessop, M. Hobart and J. Sclater (Geothermal Service of Canada, Geothermal Series number 5, Ottawa, 1976).

The present data set is "A New Global Heat FlowA Compilation" assembled by Henry N. Pollack, Suzanne J. Hurter, and Jeffrey R. Jihnson (Dept. of Geological Sciences, the University of Michigan) in March 1991.

These data set includes all data published through 1985, approximately 24,420 lines of data. Some locations are included which provide only thermophysical properties without a heat flow value. The compilation follows closely but not exactly the general format of the 1976 compilation by Jessop, et al. The data set is arranged alphabetically by continent, with the oceanic data following. The countries comprising the continents are also listed alphabetically.

Catalogs and subsets of data may be ordered by e-mail .