Deep subsurface Structures in Central India from Gravity Magnetic Geoid Data and Tectonic Implications

Abstract

The Narmada-Tapti region in the central part of the Indian shield is one particular newlineexample where unravelling the subsurface structures is of seminal importance. Geologically, newlinethe Narmada-Tapti region is associated with mid-Archaean and Neoproterozoic cratons, rift newlinevalleys/triple junction, Proterozoic and Gondwana basins, major lineaments, faults, fold belts, newlineand typical signatures of ancient sutures. The present-day structure and dynamics of the newlinelithosphere in the Narmada-Tapti region are chiefly controlled by four major tectonic events, newlinenamely Mesozoic sedimentation, rifting and drifting of the Indian plate, Reunion hotspot newlineactivity in the western continental margin of India, and Indo-Eurasian collision. At various newlinestages during the evolutionary process of the Narmada-Tapti region, the surface and deep newlinesubsurface structures have been modified to a great extent. The large Deccan igneous province newlinecovered a majority portion of the west-central India and completely covered the geological newlinedomains beneath, creating a gap between the complex geophysical signatures and the existing newlinetectonics. Therefore, a need to understand the unidentified structural features beneath Deccan newlinetraps, thickness and the extent of the subtrappean Mesozoic sedimentation, crustal newlinedensification, and the lithospheric architecture and strength is of prime importance. A newlinesystematic process of understanding each of these issues utilising high-resolution potential field newlineanomalies and robust algorithms led us to unearth substantial information related to the newlinetectonics of the Narmada-Tapti region. newline