Segmentation of continental Indian plate by the Narmada‐Son diffuse plate boundary

The Narmada‐Son lineament is a major tectonic feature in Central India. Here we employ data from geodetic measurements of crustal deformation and upper mantle P‐wave travel time tomography and propose that the Narmada‐Son palaeo‐rift is a present‐day diffuse plate boundary that segments the continental part of the Indian “composite” plate into two component plates, the North and South‐Indian plate. Tomographic images reveal that the collision of an indenter, associated with the relatively faster moving South‐Indian plate, with the Narmada‐Son diffuse plate boundary acted as a pivot point exerting a torque on one of the component plates along with mechanical rotation. This new proposal along with a new identity of the Narmada‐Son diffuse plate boundary is in better agreement with the estimated location of the relative Euler pole across two respective component plates. Our model is also able to better explain the Indian “composite” plate hypothesis, diversity in the topographic architecture along the rift, and contrasting deformation styles on either side of the diffuse plate boundary.

[1]  D. Groves,et al.  Global metallogeny in relation to secular evolution of the Earth and supercontinent cycles , 2022, Gondwana Research.

[2]  B. Kotlia,et al.  Crustal deformation measurements by global positioning system (GPS) along NSL, western India , 2022, Geodesy and Geodynamics.

[3]  Mamta Santosh,et al.  Regional gravity field distribution over cratonic domains of the Indian Shield: Implications for lithospheric evolution and destruction , 2021, Geosystems and Geoenvironment.

[4]  M. Brown,et al.  Enigmatic Mid‐Proterozoic Orogens: Hot, Thin, and Low , 2021, Geophysical Research Letters.

[5]  M. Santosh,et al.  Lithospheric architecture and geodynamics of the Archean Dharwar craton and surrounding terranes: New insights from satellite gravity investigation , 2021, Gondwana Research.

[6]  K. Condie.  Two Major Transitions in Earth History: Evidence of Two Lithospheric Strength Thresholds , 2021, The Journal of Geology.

[7]  M. Santosh,et al.  Plate tectonics: what, where, why, and when? , 2020, Gondwana Research.

[8]  M. Santosh.  The Southern Granulite Terrane: A synopsis , 2020 .

[9]  Ashutosh Kumar Singh,et al.  Gravity Anomalies, Isostasy and Density Structure of the Indian Continental Lithosphere , 2020, Episodes.

[10]  M. Kusiak,et al.  Multi-stage crustal growth and Neoarchean geodynamics in the Eastern Dharwar Craton, southern India , 2020 .

[11]  O. Pandey.  Geodynamic Evolution of the Indian Shield: Geophysical Aspects , 2020, Society of Earth Scientists Series.

[12]  V. Gahalaut,et al.  Corrigendum to “Crustal deformation, spatial distribution of earthquakes and along strike segmentation of the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar” [J. Asian Earth Sci. 166 (2018) 89–94] , 2019, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.

[13]  M. Brown,et al.  Time's arrow, time's cycle: Granulite metamorphism and geodynamics , 2019, Mineralogical Magazine.

[14]  E. Lindsey,et al.  Active Convergence of the India‐Burma‐Sunda Plates Revealed by a New Continuous GPS Network , 2019, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

[15]  R. Dumka,et al.  GPS derived crustal deformation analysis of Kachchh, zone of 2001(M7.7) earthquake, Western India , 2019, Quaternary International.

[16]  D. Pal,et al.  Topography as a proxy for inter-plate coupling , 2018, Journal of Geodynamics.

[17]  V. Gahalaut,et al.  Crustal deformation, spatial distribution of earthquakes and along strike segmentation of the Sagaing Fault, Myanmar , 2018, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.

[18]  M. S. Naidu,et al.  Geodetic Constraints on Tectonic and Anthropogenic Deformation and Seismogenesis of Koyna–Warna Region, India , 2018, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

[19]  A. Pratap,et al.  Lithospheric architecture in the Archaean Dharwar craton, India: A magnetotelluric model , 2018, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.

[20]  B. Rastogi,et al.  Growth of mountain belts in central Asia triggers a new collision zone in central India , 2018, Scientific Reports.

[21]  M. Gupta,et al.  Heat flow in Rajasthan Craton, North–Western Indian Shield and its Implications , 2018 .

[22]  U. Glasmacher,et al.  Models and observations of vertical motion (MoveOn) associated with rifting to passive margins: Preface , 2018 .

[23]  S. Rai,et al.  Seismicity Pattern, Reference Velocity Model, and Earthquake Mechanics of South India , 2017 .

[24]  S. Jade,et al.  India plate angular velocity and contemporary deformation rates from continuous GPS measurements from 1996 to 2015 , 2017, Scientific Reports.

[25]  David Menier,et al.  Landscape response to progressive tectonic and climatic forcing in NW Borneo: Implications for geological and geomorphic controls on flood hazard , 2017, Scientific Reports.

[26]  Louis Moresi,et al.  The structural evolution of the deep continental lithosphere , 2017 .

[27]  I. Parvez,et al.  Identifying the Transition Zone Between East and West Dharwar Craton by Seismic Imaging , 2017, Pure and Applied Geophysics.

[28]  M. Ramkumar,et al.  Early Cenozoic rapid flight enigma of the Indian subcontinent resolved: Roles of topographic top loading and subcrustal erosion , 2017 .

[29]  M. Ramkumar,et al.  Geological, geophysical, and inherited tectonic imprints on the climate and contrasting coastal geomorphology of the Indian peninsula , 2016 .

[30]  A. Kato,et al.  Connecting slow earthquakes to huge earthquakes , 2016, Science.

[31]  Emma M. Hill,et al.  Locked and loading megathrust linked to active subduction beneath the Indo-Burman Ranges , 2016 .

[32]  M. Kumar,et al.  Imaging the lithospheric structure beneath the Indian continent , 2015 .

[33]  T. Harinarayana,et al.  The electrical resistivity structure of lithosphere across the Dharwar craton nucleus and Coorg block of South Indian shield: Evidence of collision and modified and preserved lithosphere , 2015 .

[34]  Geoffrey Blewitt,et al.  A geodetic plate motion and Global Strain Rate Model , 2014 .

[35]  C. Clark,et al.  Peninsular India in Gondwana: The tectonothermal evolution of the Southern Granulite Terrain and its Gondwanan counterparts , 2014 .

[36]  J. Foster,et al.  Fault frictional parameters and material properties revealed by slow slip events at Kilauea volcano, Hawai‘i , 2013 .

[37]  Mohammad Ali Goudarzi,et al.  EPC: Matlab software to estimate Euler pole parameters , 2013, GPS Solutions.

[38]  Mrinal K. Sen,et al.  Imaging the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary of the Indian plate using converted wave techniques , 2013 .

[39]  S. Gupta,et al.  Groundwater helium: An indicator of active tectonic regions along Narmada River, central India , 2013 .

[40]  E. Okal,et al.  The January 26, 2001 Bhuj Earthquake and the Diffuse Western Boundary of the Indian Plate , 2013 .

[41]  V. Gahalaut,et al.  Aseismic plate boundary in the Indo-Burmese wedge, northwest Sunda Arc , 2013 .

[42]  J. Nocquet.  Present-day kinematics of the Mediterranean: A comprehensive overview of GPS results , 2012 .

[43]  Arun Kumar,et al.  Rigid Indian plate: Constraints from GPS measurements , 2012 .

[44]  V. Gahalaut,et al.  Localized crustal deformation in the Godavari failed rift, India , 2012 .

[45]  P. Johnson,et al.  Nonlinear dynamical triggering of slow slip on simulated earthquake faults with implications to Earth , 2012 .

[46]  Lin Ding,et al.  Convergence rate across the Nepal Himalaya and interseismic coupling on the Main Himalayan Thrust: Implications for seismic hazard , 2011 .

[47]  M. Fournier,et al.  Owen Fracture Zone: The Arabia–India plate boundary unveiled , 2011 .

[48]  E. Apel.  Shells on a Sphere: Tectonic Plate Motion and Plate Boundary Deformation , 2011 .

[49]  D. S. Ramesh,et al.  Images of possible fossil collision structures beneath the Eastern Ghats belt, India, from P and S receiver functions , 2010 .

[50]  W. Szeliga,et al.  A Catalog of Felt Intensity Data for 570 Earthquakes in India from 1636 to 2009 , 2010 .

[51]  Roland Bürgmann,et al.  Intraplate deformation of the Indian subcontinent , 2008 .

[52]  K. Prakasam,et al.  Crust and mantle beneath western Himalaya, Ladakh and western Tibet from integrated seismic data , 2008 .

[53]  E. Burov,et al.  Continental plate collision, P–T–t–z conditions and unstable vs. stable plate dynamics: Insights from thermo-mechanical modelling , 2008 .

[54]  M. Fournier,et al.  In-situ evidence for dextral active motion at the Arabia-India plate boundary , 2008 .

[55]  M. Kumar,et al.  The rapid drift of the Indian tectonic plate , 2007, Nature.

[56]  Wayne Thatcher,et al.  Microplate model for the present-day deformation of Tibet , 2007 .

[57]  Boudewijn Ambrosius,et al.  India and Sunda plates motion and deformation along their boundary in Myanmar determined by GPS , 2006 .

[58]  R. Bilham,et al.  Flexure of the Indian plate and intraplate earthquakes , 2003 .

[59]  Zuheir Altamimi,et al.  ITRF2000: A new release of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame for earth science applications , 2002 .

[60]  Fred F. Pollitz,et al.  Stress Triggering of the 1999 Hector Mine Earthquake by Transient Deformation Following the 1992 Landers Earthquake , 2002 .

[61]  M. Richards,et al.  Analytic models for the dynamics of diffuse oceanic plate boundaries , 2001 .

[62]  Arthur L. Lerner-Lam,et al.  Geodetic constraints on the rigidity and relative motion of Eurasia and North America , 2000 .

[63]  B. Rao.  Historical seismicity and deformation rates in the Indian Peninsular Shield , 2000 .

[64]  Richard G. Gordon,et al.  Evidence for motion between Nubia and Somalia along the Southwest Indian ridge , 1999, Nature.

[65]  S. Acharyya,et al.  Jabalpur Earthquake of May 22, 1997: Constraint from Aftershock Study , 1998 .

[66]  J. Royer,et al.  The Motion and Boundary Between the Capricorn and Australian Plates , 1997 .

[67]  Jeffrey T. Freymueller,et al.  Global Plate Velocities from the Global Positioning System , 1997 .

[68]  H. Tewari.  Geoscientific Studies of the Son-Narmada-Tapti Lineament Zone: Project Crumansonata , 1996 .

[69]  Richard G. Gordon,et al.  Effect of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal time scale on estimates of current plate motions , 1994 .

[70]  D. Argus,et al.  Pacific-North American plate motion from very long baseline interferometry compared with motion inferred from magnetic anomalies, transform faults, and earthquake slip vectors , 1990 .

[71]  C. Demets,et al.  Kinematic constraints on distributed lithospheric deformation in the equatorial Indian Ocean from present motion between the Australian and Indian Plates , 1990 .

[72]  J. K. Costain,et al.  Hydroseismicity—A hypothesis for the role of water in the generation of intraplate seismicity , 1987 .

[73]  Larry G. Mastin,et al.  Well bore breakouts and in situ stress , 1985 .

[74]  P. Talwani,et al.  Pore pressure diffusion and the mechanism of reservoir-induced seismicity , 1984 .

[75]  L. Sykes.  Intraplate seismicity, reactivation of preexisting zones of weakness, alkaline magmatism, and other tectonism postdating continental fragmentation , 1978 .

[76]  D. L. Campbell.  Investigation of the stress‐concentration mechanism for intraplate earthquakes , 1978 .

[77]  P. Molnar,et al.  The Collision between India and Eurasia , 1977 .

[78]  P. Molnar,et al.  Cenozoic Tectonics of Asia: Effects of a Continental Collision: Features of recent continental tectonics in Asia can be interpreted as results of the India-Eurasia collision. , 1975, Science.

[79]  V. Rao,et al.  The protocontinental growth of the Indian Shield and the antiquity of its rift valleys , 1974 .

[80]  W. Baarda.  A testing procedure for use in geodetic networks. , 1968 .