Discovery of huge magma reservoir in Ladakh offers potential of increasing geothermal energy generation
India has an estimated geothermal energy potential of approximately 10,600 MW, according to government data
Researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have discovered a hidden reservoir of molten magma deep underground in Ladakh, which can alter the geothermal landscape of the high altitude desert and provide fresh insights into the potential for generating more clean energy.
Their study has revealed that two major hot spring sites in Ladakh, Puga and Chumathang located 15 kms apart, are connected by the same heat source as deep as eight kilometers below the Earth’s crust and are part of a unified high-energy geothermal system.
The researchers used a technique called magnetotellurics, which works on the principle that different materials conduct electricity differently. By measuring the Earth’s natural electromagnetic fields at the surface, the team was able to map the electrical resistivity below the surface.
Magma and hot mineral-rich fluids have high electrical conductivity whereas solid, cold rocks resist the flow of electricity like insulators. The researchers collected data from 62 different sensing sites, which was processed digitally to create a three-dimensional architectural map of the Earth’s crust.
They found a significant zone of enhanced conductivity four to eight kilometers deep, formed by the immense pressure and geological dynamics of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates colliding.
“This provides robust geophysical evidence for the presence of high-enthalpy geothermal resources beneath the Puga and Chumathang areas. Furthermore, the results indicate a possible structural and thermal connection between the two geothermal systems, which are located about 15 kms apart along the Himalayan arc,” the researchers said.
“Our findings significantly advance the understanding of deep crustal heat sources in the north-western Himalayas and support the feasibility of developing geothermal energy in this region,” the researchers added.
The study, undertaken by six researchers at the National Geophysical Research Institute, and Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, both CSIR constituent establishments, has been published recently by Springer’s Earth, Planets and Space, an international peer reviewed journal.
Tapping geothermal reserves is important for reducing dependence on pollution generating fossil fuels, especially in ecologically sensitive areas, and India’s march towards net-zero carbon emission and clean energy mission.
India has an estimated geothermal energy potential of approximately 10,600 MW, according to government data. The Geological Survey of India has identified 381 sites having significant potential for both direct heat applications and electricity generation.
Prominent areas include Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, eastern Rajasthan, eastern Gujarat, western Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
