Characterizing the source of a prominent magnetic anomaly in the southwestern part of the Cuddapah basin

Abstract

The total magnetic intensity anomaly (TMI) map of the Proterozoic intracratonic Cuddapah basin shows the presence of a prominent high–low–high anomaly of about 600 nT amplitude at its southern end. The source of this anomaly is inferred to be a mafic intrusive body due to a thermal plume that might have initiated the basin evolution. Though some quantitative studies have been carried out over this anomaly, the magnetic body remains ambiguous as only a part of this anomaly was modelled along the E–W direction. In present study, we model this anomaly by a 2.5D algorithm and analytical signal of the vertical integral (ASVI) of the TMI approach. A near circular outline of the causative body has been delineated by the analysis of ASVI, which also revealed three characteristic zones of the near surface irregularities. The 2.5D modelling along a SW–NE profile across the anomaly yielded the main body of about 10 km wide top at 3.5 km depth and 40 km wide at 25 km depth. The Curie temperature depth in this region is 30–40 km and this allows the source to be magnetic at this depth. It is inferred from both ASVI and modelling that the main body is bifurcated into two in its south-western part between Parnapalle and Muddanuru while it attains a lopolithic shape over the remaining part. Existing regional aeromagnetic data elucidates shape of the mafic intrusive both laterally and vertically.