Implications of shearing on drainage network development in Achankovil Shear Zone, South India: insights from DEM-based geomorphic indices and longitudinal profile analysis

Abstract

The Achankovil Shear Zone (AKSZ) in the Southern Granulite Terrain separates the Trivandrum block from the Madurai block. Various geomorphic indices and longitudinal profiles of the river systems in the AKSZ, viz., Achankovil river basin (ARB) and Kallada river basin (KRB), were derived from SRTM DEM to decipher the influence of shearing and deformation on the regional drainage evolution. Although hypsometric analysis of the basins implies old stage of geomorphic evolution, horizontal shifts in the channel plan form are restricted (except in the Tertiary sediments), suggesting the structural controls over the drainage organization, which are also supported by the high topographic sinuosity. The transverse topographic symmetry (T) vectors indicate a southwesterly migration for the upstream channel segments of both ARB and KRB, while the northwesterly migration of the downstream courses can be correlated with the dextral shearing of the AKSZ. Even though the shear zone is considered to be the block boundary between the charnockite of Madurai and khondalite of Trivandrum blocks, the moderate to low profile concavity (θ) values are probably the result of suppressing the effect of the block–boundary interactions by shearing and denudation. The study proposes a model for evolution of drainage network in the AKSZ, where the mainstream of the basins was initially developed along NE–SW direction, and later the upstream and midstream segments were reoriented to the NW–SE trend as a result of intense shearing. Overall, the present study emphasizes the significance of geomorphic indices and longitudinal profile analysis to understand the role of shearing and deformation on drainage evolution in transcrustal shear zones.