Volume : 2, Issue : 5, MAY 2016

NEOTECTONIC ACTIVITY IN KACHCHH RIFT BASIN, WESTERN INDIA: EVIDENCED BY GEOMORPHIC MARKER AND PALEOSEISMIC FEATURES

Gaurav Chauhan, M. G. Thakkar, Girish Ch. Kothyari, Siddharth Prizomwala, Subhash Bhandari, S. K. Biswas

Abstract

Kachchh, a pericratonic rift basin, in Western India displays fault-controlled first-order topography. The five denudational cyclic surfaces identified indicate major episodes of tectonic movements responsible for evolution of the present landscape. The rift basin is defined by E-W trending master faults which bound the tilted upthrown blocks. A transverse fault system cuts across the E-W structural fabric. Geomorphic highs related to domes, anticlines, intrusive bodies and fault scarps associated with these faults suggest their active nature. The most striking feature of the basin is a NE-SW trending first order basement high or ridge across the master faults. This central high defined as Median High (MH) is active since Mid-Jurassic and plays a major role in the geomorphic evolution of the area. Present research highlights development of geomorphic signatures associated with neotectonic activity along master faults. The various tectono-geomorphic features confirms the basin is tectonically active in Quaternary period

Article : Download PDF

Cite This Article

Article No : 40

Number of Downloads : 1125

References

Bisht R. S (2011) How Harappans Honoured Death at Dholavira, proceedings of conference held at L.M.U, L.A, USA 2011
Biswas, S. K. (1974) Landscape of Kutch- A morphotectonic analysis. Ind. Jour. Earth Sc. v.1, pp.177-190
Biswas, S. K. (1987) Regional tectonic framework, structure and evolution of the Western margin basins of India. Tectonophysics, v.135, pp.307-327
Biswas, S. K. (2002) Structure and tectonics of Kutch Basin, western India with special reference to earthquake, 8th IGC Foundation Lecture, Ind. Geol. Cong., pp. 1-21
Biswas, S. K. (2005) A review of structure and tectonics of Kutch basin, western India with special reference to earthquakes, Curr. Sci. v. 88 (10), pp.1592-1600
Burbank, D. W. and Anderson, R.S. (2011) Tectonic Geomorphology 2nd edition. New York, Wiley-Blackwell, pp 472
Chung, W. P. and Gao, H. (1995) Source parameters of the Anjar earthquake of July 21, 1956, India, and its seismotectonic implications for the Kutch rift basin. Tectonophysics, v. 242, 281– 292
Johnston, A. C. (1996) Seismic moment assessment of earthquakes in stable continental regions – II, Historical seismicity. Geophy. Jour. Inter’l, v. 125, 639– 678
Keller, E. A., Pinter, N. (2002) Active Tectonics, Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscapes, 2nd ed. Prentice Hall 362 pp
Mathew, G., Singhvi, A.K., Karanth, R.V., (2006) Luminescence chronometry and geomorphic evidence of active fold growth along the Kachchh mainland fault (KMF), Kachchh, India, Seismotectonic implications. Tectonophysics, 422, 71–87
Maurya, D. M., Thakkar, M.G., Chamyal, L.S. (2003a): Implications of transverse fault system on tectonic evolution of Mainland Kachchh, Western India Curr. Sci. Vol.85, No. 5, pp.661-667
Maurya, D. M., Thakkar, M. G., Chamyal, L. S. (2003b): Quaternary geology of the arid zone of Kachchh: Terra incognita. Proc. Ind. Nat. Sci. Acad. 69, A, No.2, March 03. pp.123-135
Oldham, R. D. (1926) The Cutch (Kachh) earthquake of the 16th June, 1819 with a revision of the great earthquake of the 12th June, 1897. Indian Geological Survey Memoir, v. 46, 71– 147
Prantik Mandal., B.K. Rastogi, H.V.S. Satyanarayana, M. Kousalya et.al (2004) Characterization of the causative fault system for the 2001 Bhuj earthquake of Mw 7.7, Tectonophysics, 378, 2004, pp 105-121
Rajendran, K., C. P. Rajendran, M. Thakkar, and M. P. Tuttle (2001), The 2001 Kachchh (Bhuj) earthquake: Coseismic surface features and significance, Curr. Sci., 80, 1397– 1405
Rajendran, C. P., K. Rajendran, M. Thakkar, and B. Goyal (2008), Assessing the previous activity at the source zone of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake based on the near-source and distant paleoseismological indicators, J. Geophys. Res., 113, B05311, doi: 10.1029/2006JB004845
Thakkar, M. G., Bhanu Goyal, Patidar, A., Maurya, D. M. and Chamyal, L.S. (2006): Bedrock gorges in the central mainland Kachchh: Implications for landscape evolution Jour. Earth Sys. Sci. 115 No.2 pp.1-8
Thakkar, M. G. and Bhanu Goyal (2004): On Relation between Magnitude and Liquefaction Dimension at the Epicentral zone of 2001 Bhuj Earthquake. Curr. Sci., Vol. 87, No.6
Thakkar, M. G., Mamata Ngangom, P. S. Thakkar and N. Juyal (2012a) Terrain response to the 1819 Allah Bund earthquake in western Great Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat, India Curr. Sci., Vol. 103, No. 2, pp 209-212
Thakkar, M. G., Bhanu Goyal, D. M. Maurya and L. S. Chamyal (2012b) Internal geometry of reactivated and non-reactivated sandblow craters related to 2001 Bhuj earthquake, India: A modern analogue for interpreting paleosandblow craters J Geol. Soc. India, vol. 79, pp. 367-375
Yadav, RBS, Tripathi J.N., Rastogi, B.K., Das M.C., Chopra S. (2008) Probabilistic assessment of earthquake hazard in Gujarat and adjoining region of India. Pure Appl. Geophys 165:1813–1833