S. J. Sangode

Soft-Sediment Deformation in Contemporary Reservoir Sediment: A Repository of Recent Major Earthquake Events in Garhwal Himalaya

Two discrete 10–20-cm-thick zones of soft-sediment deformation (SSD) structures in horizontal beds occur in a ∼2.35-m-thick sandbar in the Asan reservoir in the northwestern Sub-Himalaya. The sediment column shows uninterrupted fluviolacustrine deposition since 1975. The depositional and deformational features, boundary conditions, and sedimentation rate suggest that the discrete SSD features formed in an apparent reverse density gradient and were triggered by the 1991 Uttarkashi and 1999 Chamoli earthquakes. These triggering events occurred within 100–150 km of the reservoir, which lay in intensity zones V–VI. The observations correspond well to the empirical relationship between distances to a liquefaction zone from an epicenter. The highly liquefiable sediments in the Asan reservoir provide a unique depositional and tectonic setting to record SSD. Triggering of SSD by contemporary seismic events demonstrates the validity of interpretations of similar causes of SSD in older sediments. This is probably the first documented example of earthquake-triggered SSD from the seismically active Himalaya range.

Pre- and post-monsoon variations in the magnetic susceptibilities of soils of Mumbai metropolitan region: implications to surface redistribution of urban soils loaded with anthropogenic particulates

Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) in India represents one of the most industrialized and thickly populated areas of the monsoon dominated Asian region. We present here pre- and post-monsoon magnetic susceptibility variations in the top-soils representing sampling domains of industrial, heavy traffic and forested areas within MMR. The rock magnetic studies (including isothermal and anhysteric remanent magnetization and hysteresis loop analysis) infer predominant pseudo single domain to multi domain grains in an overall ferrimagnetic dominant mineralogy of the soils. The susceptibility-temperature variations (from −190 to 700°C) infer maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) as the chief mineral component of pedogenic origin, and the pure magnetite (Fe3O4) is of anthropogenic nature. Spatial distribution of ferrimagnetic concentration is in agreement with polluting sources. The post-monsoon redistribution pattern is greatly controlled by the surface runoff and topographic conditions. The study demonstrates that in a ferrimagnetically reach substrate like MMR, the spatial distribution patterns derived from routine concentration- and grain-size-dependent rock magnetic parameters integrated with topographic and seasonal attributes yield significant information on the style and surface re-distribution of anthropogenically loaded soils and sediments to identify its seasonal dumping. Alternatively, knowing the source of signal, the magnetic susceptibility can be further used as a robust parameter to produce detailed maps to monitor the pollutions in urban areas.

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and rock magnetic applications in the Deccan volcanic province based on some case studies

Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) as a tool has been explored here to investigate the nature of petrofabrics in Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) of west-central Indian region by representative sampling in typical pahoehoe and rubbly pahoehoe lava flows, dykes within flows, shear zone and the impact crater units. The rock magnetic analysis indicate varying degree of concentration of titanomagnetite compositions dominated by multi domain (MD) to pseudo single domain (PSD) grains favoring shape anisotropy of minerals that form primary fabrics. The pahoehoe type lava flows shows planar oblate fabrics without any preferred orientation of principle susceptibility axis (K1) depicting crystal settling (of magnetic grains) as chief mechanism of fabric development. The rubbly pahoehoe type lava flow exhibit prolate fabrics with well clustered maximum susceptibility axis within horizontal to sub-horizontal planes depicting their response to viscosity shear. The dykes show well clustered K1 parallel to it’s plane locked during rapid contractional cooling. The sampling at Lonar impact crater was unable to trace any clear fabric due to impact/shock induced deformation and rather preserve the primary fabrics. Further, the shear zone depict random fabrics demanding more detailed and systematic sampling in both the cases. The present investigation infer that the magnetic mineralogy and magnetic fabric variations in the DVP are controlled by the flow mechanism and style of cooling that is characteristic of the given flow unit or dyke and any secondary or superimposed fabric needs to be examined by critical sampling strategy. While more detailed attempts are required to establish the AMS as a tool to record various aspects including the flow dynamics and rate of effusion in the vast terrain of DVP; the present approach is useful to characterize and correlate the lava flow units and dyke occurrences.

Magnetic mineralogical variability along Deccan trap basalt borehole (KBH07), Koyna deep continental drilling program, western Maharashtra, India

A 1248 m long core (KBH 07, 17°18′07″ N; 73°47′28.2″E, 960m above msl) drilled up to basement in the Deccan traps from Koyna region was sampled at ∼10m interval for magnetic mineralogical studies.Analysis of routine rock magnetic parameters (mass specific magnetic susceptibility: χlf, frequency dependence of susceptibility: χfd, susceptibility of anhysteretic remanance: χARM, saturation isothermal remanance: SIRM, remanance coercivty: B(0)CR, SoftIRM, HardIRM, S-Ratio, SIRM/χlf, χARM/χlf) and density (σ, gm/cc) depicted significant higher order temporal variation. The χlf varies between 13 and 309 x 10-8m3/kg and is independent of density variation. The χARM, B(0)CR and S-Ratios indicate majority of SD-PSD ferrimagnets with episodes of MD ferrimagnetic concentration and few hard coercivity components. The giant plagioclase lath bearing (GPB) horizons show highest variability of ferrimagnetic concentration marked by anomalous peaks. Overall the variability of rock magnetic parameters independent of lava flow units suggest that the changeover in magnetic mineral concentration, composition and domain size occur at major episodes in magma composition (e.g., primary source, crustal contamination and fractional crystallization). The studied parameters are therefore examined to mark intervals of (i) magma compositional changes, (ii) zones of oxidative conditions and (iii) rapid/slow cooling intervals demanding detailed petrologic studies. We identified one I order trend, four II order cycles and eight III order cycles for the purpose of correlation. Notable peak in χlf at 650–700m, the changeover in rock magnetic parameters at ∼930 m and ∼280 m can facilitate marker intervals while several higher order variations can be adopted for high resolution correlation to other boreholes in the region. The complex variation in rock magnetic parameters independent of flow units reflect temporal magnitudes of compositional variability, cooling and emplacement history that needs detailed petro-mineralogical attempts; and the present data is useful for high order inter-core correlations under the deep drilling program.