A Plausible Model for Evolution of Schist Belts and Granite Plutons of Dharwar Craton, India and Madagascar During 3.0-2.5 Ga: Insight from Gravity Modeling Constrained in Part from Seismic Studies

Abstract

Gravity modeling of an E-W profile across Dharwar Craton, India and Madagascar, integrated with the results of Deep Seismic Sounding (DSS) across the Dharwar Craton suggest a thick crust of 40-42 km under the eastern part of Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), the Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) and the central part of the Madagascar. Towards east of these blocks, the crustal thickness is reduced to 36-38 km along the Eastern Ghat Fold Belt (EGFB), shear zone between the EDC and the WDC and the east coast of Madagascar, respectively. These zones of thin crust are also characterized by high density lower crustal rocks associated with thrusts. The seismic section across Dharwar Craton shows domal- shaped reflectors in the lower crust and upper mantle under the WDC which may be related to asthenopheric upwelling during an extension phase. The occurrences of large schist belts with volcano-sedimentary sequences of marine origin of late Archean period (3.0-2.7 Ga) as rift basins in the WDC and Madagascar also suggest an extensional phase in this region during that period. It is followed by a convergence between the WDC and the EDC giving rise to collision-related shear and thrust zones between the WDC and the EDC associated with high density lower crustal rocks. The seismic section shows upwarped reflectors in the upper crust which may be related to this convergence. Eastward dipping reflectors under WDC and EDC and west verging thrusts suggest convergence from the west to the east which resulted in easterly subduction giving rise to subduction-related K-granite plutons of the EDC of 2.6-2.5 Ga. In this regard, the Closepet granite in the EDC which extends almost parallel to the shear zone between the WDC and EDC and shows an I-type calk-alkaline composition may represent relict of an island arc and the linear schist belts with bimodal volcanics of the EDC east of it might have developed as back arc rift basins. Subsequent collision between India and Antarctica along the EGFB during Middle Proterozoic, indicated by eastward dipping reflectors in the crust and the upper mantle and west verging thrust gave rise to contemporary high-grade rocks of the EGFB (1.6-1.0 Ga) and associated mafic and felsic intrusives of this belt. The part of adjoining Cuddapah basin contemporary to the EGFB towards the west consisting of marine shelf type of sediments which are highly disturbed and thickest at its contact with the EGFB may represent a peripheral foreland basin. Gravity modeling provides thickest crust of 42 km in the southern part of the WDC and does not support sharp increase in crustal thickness of 50-60 km with high velocity upper mantle as suggested from receiver function analysis. It may represent some foreign material of high density trapped in this section such as part of oceanic crust during convergence and subduction that is referred to above. It is supported from eastward dipping reflectors in lower crust and upper mantle in adjoining region.