Palaeomagnetism of rocks from the Indian Peninsula, the Himalaya and the Indus suture: implications of continental drift and India-Asia collision

Abstract

Analysis of the results obtained from Palaeomagnetic studies carried out on rocks from the Indian Peninsula, the Himalaya and Indus Suture ranging in age from Permo-Carboniferous to Upper Tertiary are discussed. Apparent polar wandering path for the Indian Peninsula appears to have been fairly well established for the Phanerozoic period with the help of results obtained from the DSDP cores from the Indian Ocean and the rocks studied from Indian Peninsula. However, some uncertainty regarding remagnetization of Gondwana Formations during Deccan Trap period still remains to be resolved. Palaeomagnetic studies of rocks from parts of the Himalaya including Tibetan Series of Nepal, Krol belt, Kashmir and Indus Suture suggest that in addition to primary components of magnetization, these rocks acquired secondary components during Tertiary, at the time of collision of India with Eurasia. Palaeomagnetic studies of rocks from Kashmir and Kumaun Himalaya suggest that these areas have undergone clock-wise rotation, of the order of 30–40 degrees with respect to the IndianPeninsula during Tertiary Times.