Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction

Broad-band and long period magnetotelluric measurements made at 63 locations along ∼500 km long Chikmagalur-Kavali profile, that cut across the Dharwar craton (DC) and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) in south India, is modelled to examine the lithosphere architecture of the cratonic domain and defin...

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Main Authors: D. Malleswari, K. Veeraswamy, K.K. Abdul Azeez, A.K. Gupta, Narendra Babu, Prasanta K. Patro, T. Harinarayana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019-09-01
Series:Geoscience Frontiers
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987118302445
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author D. Malleswari
K. Veeraswamy
K.K. Abdul Azeez
A.K. Gupta
Narendra Babu
Prasanta K. Patro
T. Harinarayana
author_facet D. Malleswari
K. Veeraswamy
K.K. Abdul Azeez
A.K. Gupta
Narendra Babu
Prasanta K. Patro
T. Harinarayana
author_sort D. Malleswari
collection DOAJ
description Broad-band and long period magnetotelluric measurements made at 63 locations along ∼500 km long Chikmagalur-Kavali profile, that cut across the Dharwar craton (DC) and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) in south India, is modelled to examine the lithosphere architecture of the cratonic domain and define tectonic boundaries. The 2-D resistivity model shows moderately conductive features that intersperse a highly resistive background of crystalline rocks and spatially connect to the exposed schist belts or granitic intrusions in the DC. These features are therefore interpreted as images of fossil pathways of the volcanic emplacements associated with the greenstone belt and granite suite formation exposed in the region. A near vertical conductive feature in the upper mantle under the Chitradurga Shear Zone represents the Archean suture between the western and eastern blocks of DC. Although thick (∼200 km) cratonic (highly resistive) lithosphere is preserved, significant part of the cratonic lithosphere below the western DC is modified due to plume-continental lithosphere interactions during the Cretaceous–Tertiary period. A west-verging moderately conductive feature imaged beneath EGMB lithosphere is interpreted as the remnant of the Proterozoic collision process between the Indian land mass and East Antarctica. Thin (∼120 km) lithosphere is seen below the EGMB, which form the exterior margin of the India shield subsequent to its separation from East Antarctica through rifting and opening of the Indian Ocean in the Cretaceous. Keywords: Magnetotelluric, Lithospheric structure, Mantle plume, Mantle suture, Dharwar craton
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spelling doaj.art-c704bab60a3a470394f60fe8fcf69aaa2023-09-02T18:40:58ZengElsevierGeoscience Frontiers1674-98712019-09-0110519151930Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interactionD. Malleswari0K. Veeraswamy1K.K. Abdul Azeez2A.K. Gupta3Narendra Babu4Prasanta K. Patro5T. Harinarayana6MT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, IndiaMT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India; Corresponding author.MT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, IndiaMT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, IndiaMT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, IndiaMT Group, CSIR - National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, IndiaCrescent Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, IndiaBroad-band and long period magnetotelluric measurements made at 63 locations along ∼500 km long Chikmagalur-Kavali profile, that cut across the Dharwar craton (DC) and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) in south India, is modelled to examine the lithosphere architecture of the cratonic domain and define tectonic boundaries. The 2-D resistivity model shows moderately conductive features that intersperse a highly resistive background of crystalline rocks and spatially connect to the exposed schist belts or granitic intrusions in the DC. These features are therefore interpreted as images of fossil pathways of the volcanic emplacements associated with the greenstone belt and granite suite formation exposed in the region. A near vertical conductive feature in the upper mantle under the Chitradurga Shear Zone represents the Archean suture between the western and eastern blocks of DC. Although thick (∼200 km) cratonic (highly resistive) lithosphere is preserved, significant part of the cratonic lithosphere below the western DC is modified due to plume-continental lithosphere interactions during the Cretaceous–Tertiary period. A west-verging moderately conductive feature imaged beneath EGMB lithosphere is interpreted as the remnant of the Proterozoic collision process between the Indian land mass and East Antarctica. Thin (∼120 km) lithosphere is seen below the EGMB, which form the exterior margin of the India shield subsequent to its separation from East Antarctica through rifting and opening of the Indian Ocean in the Cretaceous. Keywords: Magnetotelluric, Lithospheric structure, Mantle plume, Mantle suture, Dharwar cratonhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987118302445
spellingShingle D. Malleswari
K. Veeraswamy
K.K. Abdul Azeez
A.K. Gupta
Narendra Babu
Prasanta K. Patro
T. Harinarayana
Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
Geoscience Frontiers
title Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
title_full Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
title_fullStr Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
title_full_unstemmed Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
title_short Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India: Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction
title_sort magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the dharwar craton in south india evidence for mantle suture and plume continental interaction
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987118302445
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