Holocene tectono-geomorphic evolution of Haryana plains,Western Ganga plain,India

Haryana plain is the drainage divide between the Ganga plain in the east and the Indus plain in the west. Being a part of the Himalayan foreland, its geomorphology, sedimentation processes, and tectonism are broadly controlled by the Himalayan tectonics. Soil and geomorphological mapping in Haryana plain bring out geomorphic features such as paleochannels, various active drainage patterns, and landforms such as old fluvial plains, floodplains, piedmonts, pediments, terminal fans, and eolian plains. Based on the degree of soil development, and Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, the soil-geomorphic units were grouped into six members (QIMS-I to VI) (Quaternary Indus Morphostratigraphic Sequence) of a morphostratigraphic sequence: QIMS-VI 9.86–5.38 Ka, QIMS-V 5.38–4.45 Ka, QIMS-IV 4.45–3.60 Ka, QIMS-III 3.60–2.91 Ka, QIMS-II <?2.91–1.52 Ka, and QIMS-I <?1.52 Ka. OSL chronology of different geomorphic features suggests six episodes of tectono-geomorphic evolution in the region since 10 Ka. Neotectonic features such as nine faults, two lineaments, and five fault-bounded tectonic blocks have been identified. Independent tilting and sagging of the blocks in response to neotectonics have resulted in modification of landforms, depositional processes, and hydro-geomorphology of the region. Major rivers like the Yamuna, the Ghaggar, and the Sutlej show different episodes of shifting of their courses. Lineament controlled few extinct channels have been recorded between 20 and 25 m depth below the surface in the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles. These buried channels are aligned along the paleo-course of the Lost Saraswati River interpreted from the existing literature and hence are considered as the course of the lost river. Seven terminal fans have been formed on the downthrown blocks of the associated faults. The Markanda Terminal Fan, the first of such features described, is indeed a splay terminal fan and was formed by a splay distributary system of the Markanda River. Association of three terminal fans of different ages with the Karnal fault indicates the segment-wise development of the fault from west to east. Also, comparison with other such studies in the Ganga plain to further east suggests that the terminal fans formed by streams with distributary drainage pattern occur only in semiarid regions as in the present area and thus are indicators of semiarid climate/paleoclimate. Though the whole region is tectonically active, the region between the Rohtak fault and Hisar fault is most active at present signified by the concentration of earthquake epicenters.     

Petrography of low rank coals with reference to liquefaction potential

Ten sub-bituminous coals were analyzed petrographically and chemically as part of a program by the Alberta Research Council to investigate the compositional properties of Alberta coals and relationship to liquefaction potential. In addition, four lignites, two from Saskatchewan and one each from Texas and North Dakota, were studied for comparative purposes. Liquefaction experiments were carried out on three of the Alberta coals and on density fractions of the two U.S. lignites. Petrographically the ten sub-bituminous coals could be divided into two populations; one with high huminite and liptinite contents (>90%) and one with substantially lower contents (70–75%). The two U.S. lignites showed huminite plus liptinite contents of less than 70% while the Saskatchewan coals were somewhat higher. Reflectance measurements on the sub-bituminous coals showed a range of 0.33 to 0.51 with a rough correlation to the ASTM rank designations of these coals. Reflectivities determined on the lignites were generally lower. Float-sink fractionation of the two U.S. lignites and two sub-bituminous coals showed enrichment of huminite and liptinite in the lighter fractions and inertinite and mineral matter in the heavier splits. Examination of the relationship between liquefaction yields and petrographic composition showed a rough positive correlation with huminite-liptinite content. Examination of liquefaction residues suggested total conversion of the liptinite, extensive conversion of huminite and possible partial conversion and reactivity of the semifusinite maceral of the inertinite group.     

Historical geomorphology and pedology of the Gandak Megafan,Middle Gangetic Plains,India

The Gandak megafan of eastern Uttar Pradesh and northwestern Bihar lies in the Middle Gangetic Plains. The Gandak River has shifted about 80 km to the east due to tilting in the last 5000 years. This has created a soil chronoassociation similar to the chronosequences found on some flights of river terraces. This chronoassociation has five members, QGD1-5. They are distinguished on the basis of profile development, clay mineralogy and calcium carbonate content. Chlorite transforms to vermiculite on a large scale from QGD1 to QGD3 and decreases drastically in member QGD4. Kaolinite and interstratified kaolinite-smectite are abundant in the older members of the chronoassociation. The youngest soils (QGD1:? < 500 b.p.) are found on the floodplains of the major rivers. QGD2 soils, like those of the Young Gandak Plain, date from? > 500 b.p., while QGD3 soils, like those on the Older Gandak Plain and Old Rapti Plains date back to 2500 b.p. QGD4 soils, like those on the Oldest Gandak Plain, are dated as? 5000 years b.p., whilst the oldest QGD5 soils, as on the Old Ghaghra Plain and Ganga-Ghaghra Interfluve, date back to 10000 b.p. These soils, which include pedogenic calcite and a? saline epipedon, indicate a dry climatic spell during the period 9000-11000 b.p. Faults developed on the megafan are not related to the basement structures.     

Root structure,distribution and biomass in five multipurpose tree species of Western Himalayas

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The tree root distribution pattern and biomass of seventeen year old trees of Grewia optiva, Morus alba, Celtis australis, Bauhinia variegata and Robinia pseudoacacia were studied by excavation method. B. variegata roots penetrated to a maximum depth of 4.78 m, whereas, M. alba roots were found down to 1.48 m depth. Lateral spread was minimum in B. variegata （1.10 m）and maximum inR. pseudoacacia （7.33 m）. Maximum root biomass of 6.30 kg was found in R. pseudoacacia and minimum （2.43 kg） was found in M. alba. For four species viz.,G. optiva, M. alba, C. australis andR. pseudoacacia, 68%-87% root biomass occurred within top 0-30 cm soil depth, but forB. variegata this was only45%. The soil binding factor was maximum in G. optiva and minimum in B. variegata. Soil physico-chemical properties also showed wide variation. The study suggests thatB. variegata with a deep root system is the most suitable species for plantation under agroforestry systems. R. pseudoacacia and G. optiva with deep root systems, more lateral spread and high soil binding factor are suitable for plantation on degraded lands for soil conservation.     

Heavy metal content in the beach sediment with respect to contamination levels and sediment quality guidelines: a study at Kalpakkam coast,southeast coast of India

Socioeconomic developments and industrialization exert tremendous impact on beaches which is often neglected. Heavy metal (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) contents were estimated in the intertidal region from Kalpakkam to Mamallapuram (20 km), southeast coast of India covering seven locations. To evaluate the level of contamination of these metals; enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I _geo), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and modified degree of contamination (mCd) were applied. The results were also compared with the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) to find out the eco-toxicity level. Metal contents in the beach sediment were observed in the order: Fe > Al > Mn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Zn > Pb > Co > Cd. Grain size distribution showed medium to coarse nature of the sediment. Significant positive correlation was found among the metals indicating their common source of input. Based on EF, minor enrichment of Mn and Zn and moderately severe to severe enrichment of Cr, Cu, Pb and Cd were observed which was further confirmed by I _geo and CF values. Moreover, Mamallapuram showed a very high CF value for Cd (>6) indicating very high contamination accountable to anthropogenic sources. PLI and mCd in all the stations indicated unpolluted nature except M1 where the values pointed moderate degree of contamination. As per the SQGs, Ni and Cr values exceeded the probable effect limit value implying that these metals can have adverse impacts. None of the metals exceeded the effect range median indicating that the beach sediment is not very toxic.     

Geochemistry of Renuka Lake and wetland sediments,Lesser Himalaya (India): implications for source-area weathering,provenance, and tectonic setting

The geochemical investigation of sediments deposited in the Renuka Lake basin and its adjoining wetland has shown variation in the distribution and concentration of major, trace and REEs. The major elements are depleted in the lake in relation to wetland and that of Post Archaean Australian, Shale (PAAS), except for CaO which is strikingly in excess and has a dilution effect on SiO₂ and other oxides and trace elements. The Wetland sediments, on the other hand, are enriched in Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, K₂O and TiO₂ and the latter three show a positive correlation with Al₂O₃ in both wetland and lake sediments suggesting their association with phyllosilicates and similar source rocks. The enrichment of Y, Zr, Ni, Th, U and Nb in wetland compared to lake and their similarity with PAAS in the former, suggests more clay fractions in the wetland. A high Zr/Hf ratio in wetland and lake sediments and a positive correlation of Zr with Y and HREE indicate Zr control on HREEs. However, higher Zr/Yb and Zr/Th ratios in wetland compared to lake indicate mineral sorting during the process of lighter particles (clays) being trapped in wetland soil. This is also reflected from negative correlation of Gd_N/Yb_N with Al₂O₃ and a strong positive correlation with SiO₂ in wetland sediments. The wetland in this context has a control on lake sediment chemistry. The chondrite normalized REE patterns are essentially the same for lake as well as wetland sediments but abundance decreases in the former. The similarity of pattern with that of PAAS and negative Eu anomaly indicates a cratonic source of sediments. In a plot of the individual samples, wetland samples cluster while lake samples are separated indicating fractionation of lake sediments. A strong positive correlation of La_N/Yb_N with Al₂O₃ and a positive correlation of Zr-∑LREE and Zr-La_N/Yb_N suggest that LREEs are controlled by both phyllosilicates and zircon. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) indices in lake sediments and in wetland are higher than PAAS indicating moderate chemical weathering in the source area. The petrography, lack of felsic magmatic rock fragments, and negative correlation between Zr-(Gd/Yb)_C indicate sedimentary source rocks for the detritus. This is in conformity with the Lesser Himalayan sedimentary sequence belonging to neo-Proterozoic–Proterozoic age and constituting lake catchment of Renuka. The tectonic delineation and discriminant function plots of lake and wetland sediments indicate their cratonic and/or quartzose sedimentary orogenic terrain source that has been deposited in a passive margin setting.     

Major ion chemistry of Renuka Lake and weathering processes, Sirmaur District, Himachal Pradesh, India

Renuka Lake in the Lesser Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh is in a valley surrounded by mountains comprised of highly crumpled, shattered, crushed, folded and dislocated rocks consisting of carbonaceous shales-slates often pyrite-ferrous, limestone, quartzites, boulder beds, etc. A detailed and systematic study of the major ion chemistry of the lake, clay mineral composition of the bed and core sediments and the Pb²¹⁰ isotope estimation in the latter was conducted. The chemistry is dominated by carbonate weathering and (Ca + Mg) and (HCO₃ + SO₄) accounts for about 90% of the cations and anions. The SO₄ content is almost the same as the HCO₃. The low contribution of (Na + K) to the total cations and the (Ca + Mg) and HCO₃ data tends to indicate that silicate weathering has not been the potential source of major ions to the lake waters. This difference may be related to the increasing susceptibility to weathering of carbonate over silicate rocks exposed in the catchment and also seepage of water at the bottom. The high sulphate content in waters is derived from dissolution of pyrite-ferrous reduced black shales, which constitute a significant lithology in the catchment. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) value in core sediments is on an average 76, which is comparable with average shale (70-75) and the rate of sedimentation 3.3 mm/year based on measurement of Pb²¹⁰, indicating a fairly high weathering rate in the catchment. Illite is the dominant clay mineral (52-90%) in the bed and core sediments, chlorite constitutes 7-48% and the kaolinite-chlorite mixed silicate layer is l-2%. This is consistent with the shale-slate, sandstone lithology in the valley.     

Lithofacies and palaeosol analysis of the Middle and Upper Siwalik Groups (Plio–Pleistocene), Haripur-Kolar section, Himachal Pradesh, India

The Middle–Upper Siwalik Groups (Plio–Pleistocene) are exposed at Haripur-Kolar, Himachal Pradesh, India. The succession is 2800-m thick and has been subdivided into Unit M1 of the Middle Siwalik and four units U1–U4 of the Upper Siwalik Group, on the basis of facies associations, and type and degree of development of palaeosols. The available magnetostratigraphic ages for bases of Units U1, U3 and U4 are 5.5, 2.6 and 1.77 Ma, respectively. The top of the section has been dated as 19 ka.

Lithofacies association and palaeocurrent analysis indicates that the Middle and Upper Siwalik Groups were formed mainly by a basin transverse fluvial system. Two types of river systems, which differ in their size, can be documented in Unit-M1, Unit U1 and Unit-U2: one trunk river system similar to the modern Kosi and the other smaller river system, which formed tributaries to the former. The large rivers were mainly braided in nature. The Unit U3 and lower part of Unit U4 were deposited in the piedmont depositional system mainly by small braided streams and the upper part of the Unit U4 was deposited during a period of arid climate by sediment gravity-flows.

Integration of fluvial lithofacies and pedofacies helps to identify two fluvial depositional systems from the modern Indo-Gangetic Plains. The Lowland System involved deposition on alluvial megafans and interfan areas, which resulted in sand-rich and mud-rich sequences with weekly developed soils. The Upland System allowed large tracts to act as high ground for thousands of years, thereby giving rise to sandstone poor intervals with moderately to strongly developed soils. Occurrence of moderately to strongly developed soils was controlled by uplifting and tilting of large tectonic blocks, without any relation to distance from the main channels. Rate of subsidence apparently controlled the occurrence of Lowland and Upland systems. Deposition of the Unit M1, Unit U1 and Unit U2 took place under Upland and Lowland systems, very similar to those identified from the modern Indo-Gangetic Plains. The warm and humid climate between 5.3 and 2.6 Ma led to the formation of red Alfisols with calcrete nodules at places. Slightly cooler and drier climate starting at about 2.6 Ma and approximately coinciding with the onset of global-scale glaciation, produced poorly developed yellow soil with common development of nodular calcretic horizon and calcitc material disseminated in the groundmass. At ca. 0.9 Ma, a probable significant change to still drier and cooler climate produced typical sediment gravity-flows in the piedmont system, that continued until at least up to 19 ka.     

Concealed thrusts in the Middle Gangetic plain,India – A ground penetrating radar study proves the truth against the geomorphic features supporting normal faulting

As no evidence for thrusting has yet been reported from the Indo-Gangetic plain so, the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) has been considered to be the southern most limit of the Siwaliks to the Indo-Gangetic plain. The present study highlights the thrusting activities between the Gandak and Kosi megafan area in the Middle Gangetic plain. As these thrust sheets are concealed beneath thick sediment cover, direct surficial studies of the discontinuity planes are not possible. Further, the topographic breaks formed by the backward erosion of the uplifted thrust faces resemble normal faults with hanging walls to south. Due to gradual decreasing upliftment and/or erosion from north to south, the area shows a step like topographic appearance. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) studies reveal the concealed thrust planes beneath the sediments and the topographic breaks looking like normal faults are interpreted to be the relief created by backward erosion of the thrust sheets along with the overlying sediments. Out of four GPR profiles taken using 100 MHz antennae, three are across the topographic breaks along which most of the terminal fans are formed and one across the basement fault to study its subsurface nature. Initially GPR failed to strike any subsurface discontinuities at the topographic breaks. However, at certain distance to the south of the topographic breaks, GPR was able to strike the northerly dipping subsurface discontinuity planes. By combining the seismological signatures (distribution of earthquake epicenters) with geomorphology, these discontinuities are identified as thrusts. The GPR profiles show a gradual decrease of dip of the thrust planes from north to south across the area. Hence, by the geomorphology, seismological behavior, topography, orientation and continuity, other topographic breaks can be compared with the proven thrusts. GPR study on the basement fault revealed that the NE–SW trending basement faults are not active in the area. The compression between the South Muzaffarpur fault and the peninsular shield led to the generation of the N–S trending extensional Hathauri–Simariaghat fault with downthrown block towards east. Due to depth penetration limit, the GPR study was confined within 15 m depth. The presence of the discontinuity planes up to the base of the GPR profiles indicate their continuity at least up to the base of Holocene sediments. Although this study brought out the presence of concealed thrusts to the south of the HFT, more detailed work is needed further to study their depth extension, relation to the basement and their implication in Himalayan tectonics in a broad manner. At present, we consider these thrusts to be the splays of the HFT. For confirmation, we propose to carryout detail seismic surveys in future research work.     

Strong ground motion parameters of the 18 September 2011 Sikkim Earthquake Mw = 6.9 and its analysis: a recent seismic hazard scenario

Natural Hazards - The 18 September 2011 earthquake in Sikkim was one the most devastating earthquake in Sikkim Himalaya in India–Asia collision boundary. The source characteristic of this...