Geophysical signatures of fluids in a reactivated Precambrian collisional suture in central India

The Central India Tectonic Zone （CITZ） marks the trace of a major suture zone along which the south Indian and the north Indian continental blocks were assembled through subduction-accretion- collision tectonics in the Mesoproterozoic. The CITZ also witnessed the major, plume-related, late Cretaceous Deccan volcanic activity, covering substantial parts of the region with continental flood basalts and associated magmatic provinces. A number of major fault zones dissect the region, some of which are seismically active. Here we present results from gravity modeling along five regional profiles in the CITZ, and combine these results with magnetotelluric （MT） modeling results to explain the crustal architecture. The models show a resistive （more than 2000 Ω. m） and a normal density （2.70 g/cm3） upper crust suggesting dominant tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite （TTG） composition. There is a marked correlation between both high-density （2.95 g/cm3） and low-density （2.65 g/cm3） regions with high conductive zones （〈80 Ω. m） in the deep crust. We infer the presence of an interconnected grain boundary network of fluids or fluid-hosted structures, where the conductors are associated with gravity lows. Based on the conductive nature, we propose that the lower crustal rocks are fluid reservoirs, where the fluids occur as trapped phase within minerals, fluid-filled porosity, or as fluid-rich structural conduits. We envisage that substantial volume of fluids were transferred from mantle into the lower crust through the younger plume-related Deccan volcanism, as well as the reactivation, fracturing and expulsion of fluids transported to depth during the Mesoproterozoic subduction tectonics. Migration of the fluids into brittle fault zones such as the Narmada North Fault and the Narmada South Fault resulted in generating high pore pressures and weakening of the faults, as reflected in the seismicity. This inference is also supported by the presence of broad gravity lows near these faults, as well as the low velocity in the lower crust beneath regions of recent major earthquakes within the CITZ.

Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of stromatolitic carbonates from the greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin of Peninsular India

Oldest rocks are sparsely distributed within the Dharwar Craton and little is known about their involvement in the sedimentary sequences which are present in the Archean greenstone successions and the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin.Stromatolitic carbonates are well preserved in the Neoarchean greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah Basin of Peninsular India displaying varied morphological and geochemical characteristics.In this study,we report results from U-Pb geochronology and trace element composition of the detrital zircons from stromatolitic carbonates present within the Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin to understand the provenance and time of accretion and deposition.The UPb ages of the detrital zircons from the Bhimasamudra and Marikanve stromatolites of the Chitradurga greenstone belt of Dharwar Craton display ages of 3426±26 Ma to 2650±38 Ma whereas the Sandur stromatolites gave an age of 3508±29 Ma to 2926±36 Ma suggesting Paleo-to Neoarchean provenance.The U-Pb detrital zircons of the Tadpatri stromatolites gave an age of 2761±31 Ma to1672±38 Ma suggesting Neoarchean to Mesoproterozoic provenance.The Rare Earth Element(REE)patterns of the studied detrital zircons from Archean Dharwar Craton and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin display depletion in light rare earth elements(LREE)and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements(HREE)with pronounced positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies,typical of magmatic zircons.The trace element composition and their relationship collectively indicate a mixed granitoid and mafic source for both the Dharwar and Cuddapah stromatolites.The 3508±29 Ma age of the detrital zircons support the existence of 3.5 Ga crust in the Western Dharwar Craton.The overall detrital zircon ages(3.5-2.7 Ga)obtained from the stromatolitic carbonates of Archean greenstone belts and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin(2.7-1.6 Ga)collectively reflect on^800-900 Ma duration for the Precambrian stromatolite deposition in the Dharwar Craton.

Mapping Potential Infiltration Patterns Using Digital Elevation Model

This study attempts to simulate the spatial heterogeneity of infiltration in a drainage basin using digital elevation models. Infiltration capacity is one of the controlling factors in the formation of stream channels. Channel formation is also a function of the slope and the contributing area. Natural stream channels, if properly graded and adjusted to the present climate, reflect the interactions of local slope, contributing area, and permeability of surface materials. Channel networks can be delineated from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) using a variety of algorithms using different thresholds for channel initiation. These algorithms delineate a channel network on the basis of local slope, curvature, and contributing area, without considering the permeability of surface cover. Hence, the difference in the structure of the two drainage networks,?i.e.?the surveyed drainage network obtained from field observation and the simulated network generated from the DEM, is indicative of the spatial heterogeneities in the permeability of the surface cover as shown in this paper. Spatially variable drainage density maps corresponding to the two networks have been used here to obtain normalized difference maps that characterize the potential infiltration anomalies within the catchment. The simulated spatial pattern is compared with the actual infiltration measurements in the field using infiltration tests. Strong positive correlation between the observed and modeled infiltration confirms the effectiveness of this technique in the rapid assessment of potential infiltration variability.

Inundation Studies Along the East Coast of India due to Tsunamigenic Earthquakes in North-Andaman and Car Nicobar Subduction zone

The Sumatra-Andaman arc is an active subduction zone and had generated several destructive Tsunamis in the past.In this paper we have analyzed two historical Tsunamigenic earthquakes from this region. One of the historical earthquake is the earthquake of 26th June 1941 in the North Andaman region,which was one of the strongest in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal of magnitude M_w=7.7.This earthquake had triggered tsunami which affected the east coast of India.The other is the earthquake in Car Nicobar region on 31 st December 1881 of magnitude M_w=7.9. This submarine earthquake beneath the

Faults Plane Orientation Deduced from the High Dense Network of Short Duration Data with Relocation of Hypocenters: Koyna-Warna Region, Western India

Identification of precise hypocenter location is useful in order to improve the faults plane orientation and seismic zone analysis. In the study area, relocated hypocenter of earthquakes in Koyna-Warna region (KWR) from the short period recorded data from 6th January 2010 to 28th May 2010 by using Cross-Correlation waveform results in Double Difference Hypocenter method [1]. The results show the significant improvement in hypocenter location and orientation in earthquake hypocenters, which is correlated with local faults plane orientation in study region. From the observations the earthquake hypocenters are lying in the depth between 3 to 8 km. The result which identified three faults plane orientation in NNW-SSE direction and also identified new fractures in NE-SW directions between the faults plane orientation with short duration data sets the first time in India.

Groundwater Potential Zoning in Thirumanimuttar Sub-Basin Tamilnadu, India—A GIS and Remote Sensing Approach

The main objective of the study is to identify groundwater potential zones in Thirumanimuttar basin with an integrated approach using Remote Sensing and geographical information system(GIS).FCC Image of Landsat TM 30 m resolution data and topographic maps has been used to generate thematic maps like geology,geomorphology,lineament and lineament density,drain-age,drainage density,and slope map of the study area.A number of geomorphic units such as Denudational hills,structural hills,Bajadas,Colluvial plain,Pediplain,Deep Pediment and Alluvial plains have been observed.A composite groundwater potential map has been generated as very high,high,medium,low and very low based on the groundwater availability area.The upper,mid-dle and downstream of the basins have been identified as potential zones for groundwater exploration.The regions of lineaments and intersecting lineaments proved for groundwater potential zones.The data generated was validated with field checks and ob-served to be in conformity with the same.