Proterozoic orogenic belts and rifting of Indian cratons: Geophysical constraints

Abstract

The Aravalli–Delhi and Satpura Mobile Belts (ADMB and SMB) and the Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) in India form major Proterozoic mobile belts with adjoining cratons and contemporary basins. The most convincing features of the ADMB and the SMB have been the crustal layers dipping from both sides in opposite directions, crustal thickening (∼45 km) and high density and high conductivity rocks in upper/lower crust associated with faults/thrusts. These observations indicate convergence while domal type reflectors in the lower crust suggest an extensional rifting phase. In case of the SMB, even the remnant of the subducting slab characterized by high conductive and low density slab in lithospheric mantle up to ∼120 km across the Purna–Godavari river faults has been traced which may be caused by fluids due to metamorphism. Subduction related intrusives of the SMB south of it and the ADMB west of it suggest N–S and E–W directed convergence and subduction during Meso–Neoproterozoic convergence. The simultaneous E–W convergence between the Bundelkhand craton and Marwar craton (Western Rajasthan) across the ADMB and the N–S convergence between the Bundelkhand craton and the Bhandara and Dharwar cratons across the SMB suggest that the forces of convergence might have been in a NE–SW direction with E–W and N–S components in the two cases, respectively. This explains the arcuate shaped collision zone of the ADMB and the SMB which are connected in their western part. The Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) also shows signatures of E–W directed Meso–Neoproterozoic convergence with East Antarctica similar to ADMB in north India. Foreland basins such as Vindhyan (ADMB–SMB), and Kurnool (EGMB) Supergroups of rocks were formed during this convergence. Older rocks such as Aravalli (ADMB), Mahakoshal–Bijawar (SMB), and Cuddapah (EGMB) Supergroups of rocks with several basic/ultrabasic intrusives along these mobile belts, plausibly formed during an earlier episode of rifting during Paleo–Mesoproterozoic period. They are highly disturbed and deformed due to subsequent Meso–Neoproterozoic convergence. As these Paleoproterozoic basins are characterized by large scale basic/ultrabasic intrusives that are considerably wide spread, it is suggested that a plume/superplume might have existed under the Indian cratons at that time which was responsible for the breakup of these cratons. Further, the presence of older intrusives in these mobile belts suggests that there might have been some form of convergence also during Paleoproterozoic period.