Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Nature of Flow Patterns of Rajahmundry Lava, Gowripatnam Area, West Godavari, India:Insights from AMS Studies


Affiliations
1 Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India
 

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data for a single basaltic lava flow, herein named the Gowripatnam lava flow from the Rajahmundry Traps, are evaluated for determining precisely the mechanism of lava flow. At Rajahmundry, lava flows are found on both banks of the Godavari River and sandwich intertrappean sedimentary layers in between. The ones on the west bank of the river are studied here. This study has an implication as the mechanism of lava flow or nature of lava flow patterns of Rajamundry Trap basalt is still a debatable issue. AMS directions is a powerful tool for investigating the source and direction of lava. Its application to single lava flow from Rajahmundry indicates maximum direction of susceptibility axes in almost all possible directions, indicating radial flowage from radial vent source(s). Two AMS directions (towards north-west – 14%, and north – 7%), however, have the maximum number of petals. This indicates that at least there were palaeo-flowage patterns towards these directions. Incidentally the Godavari lineament strikes NW–SE and the flow dip is due south. However, the two dominant magnetic lineation directions are due north. Hence, the possibility of the earlier suggested river piracy model for lava flow can be ruled out. The fissure eruption near Rajahmundry is pointed out as the then prevailing lava flow mechanism. This is further supported by an overall random distribution of maximum susceptibility axes apart from two dominant flow directions.

Keywords

Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility, Long Distance Lava Flowage, Rajahmundry Traps, Fe–Ti Oxides.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Pascoe, E. H., A Manual of the Geology of India and Burma, Calcutta, Govt of India Press, 1964, p. 2130.

  • Knight, K. B., Renne, P. G., Halkett, A. and White, N., 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Rajahmundry Traps, eastern India and their relationship to the Deccan Taps. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 2003, 208, 85–99.

  • Bakshi, A. K., The Deccan trap Palaeogene–Cretaceous boundary connection; new 40Ar/39Ar ages and critical assessment of existing argon data pertinent to this hypothesis. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2014, 84, 9–23.

  • Keller, G., Adatte, T., Gardin, S., Bartolini, A. and Bajpai, S., Main Deccan volcanism phase ends near the K–T boundary: evidence from the Krishna–Godavari basin, SE India. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 2008, 268, 293–311.

  • Self, S., Thordarson, T., Widdowson, M. and Jay, A., Volatile fluxes during flood basalt eruptions and potential effects on the global environment: a Deccan perspective. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 2006, 248, 518–532.

  • Krishnan, M. S., Geology of India and Burma, Higginbothams, Madras, 1960, p. 604.

  • Baksi, A. K., Byerly, G. R., Chan, L. H. and Ferar, E., Intracanyan flows in the Deccan province India? Case history of the Rrajahmundry Traps. Geology, 1994, 22, 605–608.

  • Self, S., Jay, A. E., Widdowson, M. and Keszthelyi, Correlation of the Deccan and Rajahmundry Trap lavas: are these the longest lava flows on Earth? J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 2008, 172, 3–19.

  • Jay, A. E. and Widdowson, M., Stratigraphy, structure and volcanology of southeast Deccan continental flood basalt province: implication for eruptive extent and volumes. J. Geol. Soc. London, 2008, 165, 177–188.

  • Reddy, P. R., Venkateswarulu, N., Prasad, A. S. S. S. R. S. and Koteswar Rao, P., Basement structure below the coastal belt of Krishna–Godavari basin: correlation between seismic structure and well information. Gondwana Res., 2002, 5, 513–518.

  • Misra, K. S., Arterial system of Lava tubes and channels within Deccan volcanics of western India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2002, 59, 115–124.

  • Misra, K. S., Distribution pattern, age and duration and mode of eruption of Deccan and associated volcanics, Gondwana Geol. Spec. Mag., 2005, 8, 53–60.

  • Kale, V. S. and Rajaguru, S. N., Morphology and denudation chronology of the coastal and upland river basins of western Deccan trappean landscape (India): a collation. Zeit. Geomorphal. NF, 1988, 32, 311–327.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Manikyamba, C., Khanna, T. C., Kanakdande, P. P. and Raju, K., New observations on Rajahmundry Traps of the Krishna–Godavari Basin. Geol. Soc. India, 2010, 75, 807–819.

  • Baksi, A. K., Search for a deep mantle component in mafic lavas using a Nb–Y–Zr plot. Can. J. Earth Sci., 2001, 38, 813–824.

  • Caffon-Tapia, E., Walker, G. P. L. and Herrero-Bervera, E., The internal structure of lava flows – insights from AMS measurements I: near–vent a’a, J. Volcanol. Geoth. Res., 1996, 70, 21–26.

  • Caffon-Tapia, E., Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of lava flows and dykes: a historical account. Geol. Soc., London, Special Publ., 2004, 238, 205–225.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Evolution in basin-fill style during the mesozoic gondwana continental break-up in the Godavari Triple junction, SE India. J. Gondwana Res., 2002, 5, 227–244.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Proterozoic intracratonic rift development at right angle to the eastern ghat mobile belt an example for collision induced rifting in SE India. Curr. Sci., 1997, 73, 444–450.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Stratigraphy and structural framework of the gondwana sediments in the Pranhita-Godavari Valley, Andhra Pradesh. In Proceedings of the IX International Gondwana Symposium, 1996, vol. 1, pp. 311–330.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Gondwana sedimentation in the Chintalapudi sub-basin, Godavari valley, Andhra Pradesh. J. Geol. Soc. India, 1995, 64, 375–389.

  • Lakshminarayana, G., Fluvial to estuarine transitional depositional setting in the Cenozoic Rajahmundry formation, K–G basin, India. Indian Miner., 1995, 49, 163–176.

  • Veevers, J. J. and Ttewari, R. C., Gondawana master basin of peninsular India between Tethys and the interior of the Gondwana land province of Pangea. Memoir Geol. Soc. Am., 1995, 87, 1–62.

  • Nagata, T., Rock Magnetism, Maruzen, Tokyo, 1961, 2nd edn, p. 350.

  • Balsley, J. R. and Buddington, A. F., Magntic susceptibility anisotropy and fabric of some Adirondack granites and orthogenesis. Am. J. Sci., 1960, 258A, 6–20.

  • Stacey, F. D., Joplin, G. and Lindsay, J., Magnetic anisotropy and fabric of some foliated rocks from S.E. Australia. Geophys. Pura Appl., 1960, 47, 30–40.

  • Hrouda, F., Magnetic anisotropy of rocks and its application in geology and geophysics. Geophys. Surveys, 1982, 5, 37–82.

  • Jelinek, V., Characterization of the magnetic fabric of rocks. Tectonophysics, 1973, 79, 7–63.

  • Tarling, D. and Hrouda, F., Magnetic Anisotropy of Rocks, Springer, 1993, pp. 14–27.

  • Buddington, A. F. and Lindsley, D. H., Iron–titanium oxide minerals and synthetic equivalents. J. Petrol., 1964, 5, 310–357.

  • Haggerty, S. E., Opaque mineral oxides in terrestrial igneous rocks. In Oxide minerals. Mineral. Soc. Am., Short Course Notes, 1976, 3, hg101–hg300.

  • Duraiswami, R., Gadpallu, P., Shaikh, T. N. and Cardin, N., Pahoehoe–a0a transitions in the lava flow fields of the western Deccan Traps, India-implications for emplacement dynamics, flood basalt architecture and volcanic stratigraphy. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2014, 84, 146–166.

  • Adirondack granites and orthogenesis. Am. J. Sci., 258A, 1960, 6–20.

  • Akimoto, T., Kinoshita, H. and Furuta, T., Electron probe micro-analysis study on process of low temperature oxidation of titanomagnetite. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1984, 71, 263–278.

  • Banerjee, P. K., Ghose, N. C., Ravikumar, V. and Chacko S., Petrography, geomagnetism, and rare-earth element abundances of the Rajahmundry lavas, eastern India. J. Southeast Asian Earth Sci., 1996, 13, 139–143.

  • Flinn, D., On folding during three-dimensional progressive deformation. Geol. Soc. London Q. J., 1962, 18, 385–433.

  • Johnson, H. P. and Melson, W. G., Electron microprobe analyses of some titanomagnetite grains form Hole 395A. Initial Rep. Deep-Sea Drilling Project, 1978, 45, 575–579.

  • Krishnan, M. S., Limestone and ochre near kovvur and Rajahmundry, Madras Presidency. Geol. Surv. India Record, 1950, 81, 297–314.

  • Prevot, M., Remond, G. and Caye, R., Etude de la transformation d’une titanomagnetite en titanomaghemite dans une roche volcanique. Bull. Soc. Fr. Miner. Cristallogr., 1968, 91, 65.

  • Sen, B. and Sabale, A. B., Flow-types and lava emplacement history of Rajahmundry Traps, west of River Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2011, 78, 457–467.

  • Subbarao, K. V., Walsh, J. N., Dayal A. M., Zachariah, J. and Gopalan, K., Enriched mantle at east Coast Rajahmundry, of India (abstract). In Proceedings of the Conference on Isotopes in the Solar System, PRL, Ahmedabad, India, 1997, p. 123.


Abstract Views: 474

PDF Views: 128




  • Nature of Flow Patterns of Rajahmundry Lava, Gowripatnam Area, West Godavari, India:Insights from AMS Studies

Abstract Views: 474  |  PDF Views: 128

Authors

Supriya Mondal
Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India
Dipanjan Mazumdar
Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India
Saurodeep Chatterjee
Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India
Debesh Gain
Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India
Rana Shil
Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India

Abstract


Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data for a single basaltic lava flow, herein named the Gowripatnam lava flow from the Rajahmundry Traps, are evaluated for determining precisely the mechanism of lava flow. At Rajahmundry, lava flows are found on both banks of the Godavari River and sandwich intertrappean sedimentary layers in between. The ones on the west bank of the river are studied here. This study has an implication as the mechanism of lava flow or nature of lava flow patterns of Rajamundry Trap basalt is still a debatable issue. AMS directions is a powerful tool for investigating the source and direction of lava. Its application to single lava flow from Rajahmundry indicates maximum direction of susceptibility axes in almost all possible directions, indicating radial flowage from radial vent source(s). Two AMS directions (towards north-west – 14%, and north – 7%), however, have the maximum number of petals. This indicates that at least there were palaeo-flowage patterns towards these directions. Incidentally the Godavari lineament strikes NW–SE and the flow dip is due south. However, the two dominant magnetic lineation directions are due north. Hence, the possibility of the earlier suggested river piracy model for lava flow can be ruled out. The fissure eruption near Rajahmundry is pointed out as the then prevailing lava flow mechanism. This is further supported by an overall random distribution of maximum susceptibility axes apart from two dominant flow directions.

Keywords


Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility, Long Distance Lava Flowage, Rajahmundry Traps, Fe–Ti Oxides.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv113%2Fi09%2F1719-1728