NW Himalaya Research Articles

Magnetotelluric investigations over geothermal provinces of India: an overview

Magnetotelluric (MT) and audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) studies are sensitive to the geothermal fluids filling the faults and/ or fracture zones of the geothermal system. In India, MT/AMT studies have been carried out in NW Himalayas, central, eastern, and western India. In other areas, detailed MT/AMT studies need to be expedited. This review paper presents the art of geothermal exploration in India by using MT/AMT techniques and identifies potential zones that can be exploited for power generation and direct application. Reservoir characteristics, carbon emissions reduction methods, and levelised cost factor are also discussed.

Modelling of stage-discharge relationship using optimisation techniques for Jhelum River in Kashmir Valley, NW Himalayas

Modelling of stage-discharge relationship using optimisation techniques for Jhelum River in Kashmir Valley, NW Himalayas

Effect of soil applied natural and synthetic nitrification inhibitors on nitrogen transformations and nitrification inhibition in NW Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh

Usefulness of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) has been identified in reducing the soil nitrogen losses of applied N fertilizers. We conducted an incubation experiment to evaluate the effects of soil applied NIs on nitrogen transformations (NH & NO ) and NI in sandy clay loam soil. Powdered extracts of pomegranate rind, melia fruit, neem -1 cake were prepared and added in soil at concentration of 20 and 40 g kg soil, respec- -1 tively, while calcium carbide was added at 30 g kg soil. Sources of N, P and K were urea, single super phosphate (SSP), murate of potash (MOP) at the rate of 1.98, 3.50 -1 and 0.88 g pot, respectively. Sole application of urea was taken as the control o treatment. Treated soils were incubated at 25 C for 42 days. Results revealed that at the + -1 end of incubation, highest NH -N retention (126.30 mg N kg ) and total soil nitrogen 4 -1 -1 (TSN) (152.72 mg kg ) was recorded under CaC @ 30 g kg soil treatment. Maximum 2 - -1 -1 NO -N accumulation (42.26 mg N kg ) was associated with melia fruit @ 20 g kg soil 3 -1 treatment. Regarding the nitrification inhibition, treatment of neem cake 40 g kg soil recorded maximum nitrification inhibition (44.31 %). Amongst the different nitrifica- tion inhibitors tested, lowest levels of nitrified N (20.41 and 22.05%) were recorded -1 -1 under the application of CaC @30 g kg soil and neem cake @40 g kg , while the 2 maximum (54.5%) was observed in treatment comprising of urea alone (control). Eco- friendly and cost-effective plant based nitification inhibitors were identified superior as compared to synthetic on nitrification inhibition.

Effect of Forest Fires on Soil Carbon Dynamics in Different Land Uses under NW Himalayas

Effect of Forest Fires on Soil Carbon Dynamics in Different Land Uses under NW Himalayas

Provenance and source area weathering of Siwalik foreland basin rocks in NW Himalayas: insights from hydrochemistry, petrography and geochemical signature

Provenance and source area weathering of Siwalik foreland basin rocks in NW Himalayas: insights from hydrochemistry, petrography and geochemical signature

The applications of hyperspectral remote sensing techniques in the identification of subsurface faults. An experimental study

The study shows that geological faults can be identified by hyperspectral remote sensing techniques. The study was carried out at the Balapur fault, the longest evident fault in the Kashmir valley, NW Himalaya. The results indicate that the faults constitute a good oxidation and reduction environment, which causes some mineral elements in the soil to undergo oxidation and reduction reactions. The absorption features at the strike of the fault are typical of Fe3+ and Fe2+ and the soil spectrum across the fault is different and can be separated by clustering and discrete wavelet transform.

In a search for seismomagnetic signals of NW Himalayan moderate earthquakes

In a search for seismomagnetic signals of NW Himalayan moderate earthquakes

Towards quantifying the relative tectonic activity in the Trans-Yamuna segment of NW Himalaya

Owing to the increased availability of high-resolution satellite data and the rapid development of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, the mapping of active faults and quantification of tectonic activity in inaccessible regions has exceedingly improved. We examined the tectonic activity in the Trans-Yamuna region of the NW Himalaya using geomorphic indices derived from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). In addition, this study evaluates the sensitivity of four space-borne Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) with respect to TAN DEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements). The Cartosat DEM, generated with a spatial resolution of 5 meters using state-of-the-art methods, demonstrated a reliable representation of topography. Geomorphic indices such as Asymmetry Factor (AF), Transverse Topography (TT), Hypsometric Integral (HI), Valley Floor width (Vf), Stream-length gradient index (SL), and Normalised steepness index (ksn) were computed for 41 sub-watersheds to determine the degree of tectonic activity. We infer that majority of the region is tectonically active, with upliftment continuing to occur in the north of the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT). Furthermore, the existence of mapped active faults north of the MBT further substantiates the fact that strain release is not only concentrated in the frontal Himalaya, but is distributed over a broader area above the decollement.

Dominant role of deglaciation in Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene sediment aggradation in the Upper Chenab valley, NW Himalaya

AbstractSediment transfer from the interiors of the Himalaya is complex because the archives are influenced by both glacial and monsoonal cycles. To deconvolve the coupling of glacial and monsoonal effects on sediment transfer processes, we investigate the Late Pleistocene–Holocene sediment archive in the Upper Chenab valley. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from the archive indicate major aggradation during ca. 20–10 ka. Isotopic fingerprinting using Sr-Nd isotopes in silt fractions together with clast counts in boulder-pebble fractions indicate a decreasing Higher Himalayan sediment flux in the archive with time. Decreasing clast size, increasing clast roundness, increasing matrix to clast ratio, and dominance of the Higher Himalayan sourcing unequivocally suggest strong glacial influence during the initial stages of the archive formation. This evidence also agrees with the existing retreat ages of glaciers in the Upper Chenab valley. Results of our study also show that the upper parts of the archive contain significant fluvial sediment contribution from the Lesser Himalaya, which suggests an active role of the stronger Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) in the region during the Early Holocene. The apparent decrease in sediment supply from the Higher Himalayan sources could have been due to longer source-to-sink transport in the Early Holocene and/or increased hillslope flux from Lesser Himalayan sources.

Potential of Different Nitrification Inhibitors on Growth of Late Sown Cauliflower Var. Pusa Snowball K-1 and Behavior of Soil NH4+ and NO3- in Typic Eutrochrept Under Mid Hills of NW Himalayas

ABSTRACT Towering losses of applied N in the region lead this study to identify the best potent nitrification inhibitors in late sown cauliflower (Pusa Snowball K-1), which could be easily available and eco-friendly. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2018–19 & 2019–20) with different inhibitors doses supplemented with NPK fertilizer and farmyard manure in CRBD with 3 replications. Results showed that application of recommended dose of fertilizer [N, P & K (125:76:72 kg ha-1)] with inhibitor neem cake (20 g/kg soil) +FYM (250 q/ha) recorded highest nitrogen uptake (92 & 98.9 kg ha-1) for both years, results were comparable to CaC2 treatment (89.4 & 94.7 kg ha-1). Highest nitrogen content in cauliflower with values 7.52 and 7.65%, plant height of 68.43 and 68.90 cm was observed with NPK+ neem cake @20 g/kg soil with statistical significance among all. Regarding growth, increased polar (14.51 & 16.08 cm) and equatorial diameter (17.95 & 18.21 cm) with highest leaf count of 21.42 & 21.96 in 2018–19 & 19–20, respectively were recorded under neem cake. Besides neem cake, melia @ 20 g/kg soil improved growth and lowered the levels of soil nitrate i.e. 42.93 and 40.31 kg/ha where highest i.e. 55.61&51.29 kg/ha were recorded in Pomegranate rind @10 g/kg soil and proved a better inhibitor. Nitrate levels have been decreased in 2019–20 as compared to 2018–19. Therefore, two years of open field research identified neem cake and melia as prominent and potent nitrification inhibitors for cauliflower under mid hilly conditions.

Controls on sediment storage in wide mountain valleys — a case study from Srinagar (Garhwal) valley, NW Himalaya

Controls on sediment storage in wide mountain valleys — a case study from Srinagar (Garhwal) valley, NW Himalaya

Stress dissipation and seismic potential in the central seismic gap of the north-west Himalaya

• One-third of the earthquakes in CSG show stress drop <1 bar. • High stress drop events are absent in the upper 10 km of the crust. • Source parameter values are lower in Kumaon than CSG. • Kangra and Kumaon segments can be tipped to host a future great earthquake. The central seismic gap (CSG) of the Himalaya continues to pose the ever more intriguing question of whether it has the potential to host a devastating earthquake. To address the issue, we examine the distribution and dissipation of post-seismic stress in the northwest segment of the CSG. This study computes the source parameters of 47 local earthquake events (3.5 ≤ M L ≤ 5.5) in the Garhwal-Kumaon Himalaya during the period 2016–2018 using P-wave spectral analysis. In addition, we compile the stress drop results for 326 earthquake events from numerous studies carried out across the seismic gap, to estimate the source parameter variation. The estimated seismic moments (10 12 ≤ M o ≤ 10 16 N-m), source radii (0.3 ≤ r ≤ 1.3 km) and stress drops (0.1 ≤ σ ≤ 40.6 bar) for Kumaon are observed to be significantly lower than the overall values for the CSG (10 10 ≤ Mo ≤ 10 20 N-m; 0.1 ≤ r ≤ 13.2 km; 0.01 ≤ σ ≤ 77 bar), showing incomplete dissipation of the accumulated stress. About one-third of the earthquakes in the CSG show very low stress drop (σ < 1 bar). The high stress drop events are predominant along the Main Himalayan Thrust at mid-crustal depths, with the upper ∼ 10 km of the brittle crust rarely hosting any big event. Based on the analysis, the scaling relation M o f c 3.677 = 6E + 15 N-m/s 3 has been proposed for the Kumaon region. Other scaling relations have been developed between important source parameters (M L , M w , M o , and σ) that may serve as valuable inputs for assessing the earthquake hazard in the region. The estimated b-value for the Kumaon Himalaya estimated from the local earthquake catalog is 0.64 ± 0.08, which is low compared to the Garhwal and rest of the NW Himalaya. The overall b-value of the CSG region computed from the ISC catalog is 0.62 ± 0.06. From the stress drop and b-value variation in the CSG, the Kangra and the Kumaon segments are identified to be potentially hazardous zones for a future great earthquake.

Accretion of the NW Himalayan foreland pre‐dates Late Cenozoic climate change

AbstractConceptual models demonstrate that climate can control the structural evolution of mountain belts and that Pliocene–Quaternary global climate change modulated Himalayan wedge behaviour. A key test of this hypothesis is the timing of foreland accretion. If foreland accretion pre‐dates climate change, then climate is not the primary driver of mountain building. New apatite (U–Th)/He data from NW Himalaya foreland thrust sheets suggest that accretion had occurred by the latest 4 Ma, prior to the Pliocene–Quaternary global climate change. Climate cannot, therefore, be invoked as the principal driver of Himalayan tectonics in the late Cenozoic.Statement of significanceThis paper presents 66 new, single grain apatite (U–Th)/He (AHe) dates from the foreland basin that constrain NW Himalayan evolution through the late Cenozoic. We show that accretion of the NW sub‐Himalayan foreland was underway by 4 Ma at the latest, several million years earlier than previous estimates, and was followed by distributed, wedge‐internal deformation by 2 Ma. These and other published data present a consistent pattern and timing of deformation observed over nearly 600 km of the NW sub‐Himalaya. Our new constraints on orogen evolution provide key insights into the relative importance of climate and tectonics in driving orogenic systems.

Glacio-Geomorphological Investigation and Deglaciation pattern of Nehnar valley, North Western Himalayas

Glacial landforms are pieces of evidence to comprehend the glaciological past and paleoclimatic conditions in the region. In paleo-glacial reconstructions, a critical geomorphological context is provided for determining glacial chronologies. The study provides a detailed geomorphological mapping and investigation of the Nehnar valley, NW Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, India. To map the glaciogeomorphological features, the study uses LISS-IV (5.8 m resolution) and Google Earth Pro (1 m resolution) images as well as morphological sketches and GPS data collected during field visits. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Digital Elevation Model (ASTER-DEM, 30m resolution) has also been used to enhance the morphological and elevation characterization of glacial features. A host of glacial features like lateral and terminal moraines, serrate, debris cones, moulins and outwash plains are among several others mapped in the study region. Using dating techniques, the spatial data on glacial landform features in the area can be used to guide the reconstruction of paleo-glaciological setups. This fills in some of the gaps in our knowledge about glaciation in the Kashmir Himalaya during the Pleistocene.

Seismic anisotropy and crustal deformation in the Satluj valley and adjoining region of northwest Himalaya revealed by the splitting analysis of Moho converted Ps phases

• Significant crustal anisotropy has been detected in the Satluj valley, NW Himalaya. • Fast polarization directions are parallel or sub-parallel to surface geological features . • Strength of anisotropy suggests middle and lower crust as a primary source. • Extension tectonics in Tethyan Himalaya causes E-W or NW-SE anisotropy. • Structural anisotropy is predominant in Lesser and Higher Himalaya. Seismic anisotropy in the crust beneath the Satluj valley and the adjoining region of the northwest Himalaya has been studied with the help of shear wave splitting analysis of P -to- S or Ps converted phases originating at the crust-mantle boundary. A total of 144 splitting parameters (Φ, δ t ) have been computed from 130 teleseismic earthquakes recorded by 13 broadband seismological stations spanning from the Lesser Himalaya to Tethyan Himalaya passing across the Satluj valley region. The predominant NW-SE fast polarization directions (FPDs) in the Lesser and Higher Himalaya follow the strike of surface geological features suggesting structural anisotropy. The NW-SE oriented FPDs in the Tethyan Himalaya fairly coincide with the regional extensional strain. The presence of such extensional strain within the crust might cause Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO) of anisotropic minerals resulting in observed anisotropy. The large strength of anisotropy (δ t : 0.15–0.80 s) suggests a primary contribution of anisotropy from the middle and lower crust. These observations support the assumption that the deep crust in the study region has undergone widespread and relatively uniform strain in response to crustal shortening and E-W extension.

The Fate of Pyroxenes in Mafic Xenoliths from the Kinnaur Kailash Granite, Sutlej Valley, NW Himalaya: Effect of Retrograde Hydration and Insights on the Rare Occurrence of High-Grade Metamorphic Rocks in the Himalayan Orogen

Abstract Pseudosection modelling of post-peak mineral assemblages in metamorphosed mafic xenoliths from the Kinnaur Kailash Granite, Northwest Himalaya, has provided new insights into pre-Himalayan metamorphism and constrained the P–T conditions of hydration. P–T and P–MH2O pseudosections constructed in the NCFMASH system show that retrograde hydration occurred during destabilisation of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene in mafic granulites after decompression to 0.3 GPa pressure, and as a result, water-containing phases such as cummingtonite and hornblende formed. Results from two of the studied xenoliths indicate that the secondary mineral assemblage is controlled not only by P and T, but also by the amount of water available for hydration. In contrast, another example indicates the development of cummingtonite from hornblende via dehydration reaction after decompression to conditions appropriate for cummingtonite stability. The study shows that the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Sequence (HHCS), from which the xenoliths have been derived, must have been subjected to pre-Himalayan high-grade metamorphism, although it is not evident because of pervasive overprinting by Himalayan metamorphism. The present-day metamorphic pattern of the HHCS is expectedly the result of both pre-Himalayan and Himalayan metamorphism, and careful petrological investigation is required to distinguish their signatures so that a better understanding of the tectonothermal evolution of the Himalayas can come into picture. Isotopic dating of the xenoliths is required to establish the timings of the pre-Himalayan metamorphism and decompression.

Cricetid rodents from the Middle Miocene Siwalik exposure of Kalaunta (Jammu), NW Himalaya, India

Cricetid rodents from the Middle Miocene Siwalik exposure of Kalaunta (Jammu), NW Himalaya, India

Geochemistry and U–Pb zircon geochronology of the Jutogh Thrust sheet, Himachal Pradesh, NW‐Himalaya: Implications to the petrogenesis and regional tectonic setting

We present datasets of the whole‐rock geochemistry and U–Pb zircon geochronology from the Jutogh Thrust (JT) sheet of eastern Himachal Pradesh, NW Himalaya, in order to explain the tectono‐magmatic environment in which they formed. The metapelite and granitoids of the JT sheet have moderate to high SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, K2O, and rare earth elements (REE). The A/CNK (Al2O3/CaO + Na2O + K2O) ratio with magnitudes ≥1, indicates the peraluminous nature, calc‐alkaline series, and S‐type granitoids. The high values of Rb and Th as compared to Nb and the negative Ba anomaly also suggest the dominance of crustal source material. The distinct enrichment of large‐ion lithophile elements of Rb, Th, K, Ba and Pb and strong depletion in high‐field‐strength elements (HFSE) of Zr, Nb and Ti results in high incompatible elements/HFSE ratios, which suggest that the source is derived from many intra‐crustal tectonic environments. All samples are well‐fractionated REE patterns [(La/Yb)N = 6.06–17.37] and characterized by moderately flat enriched [(La/Sm)N = 2.31–4.71] of light rare earth elements. The negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.18–0.71), suggest the plagioclase fractionation from the sourced magma and the origin of granitic gneiss through the high temperature (~800°C). The zircon U–Pb ages of granite range between 883.0 ± 15.0 Ma and 1260.0 ± 10.0 Ma, with a consistent peak of ~925.0 Ma. It confirms that the northern edge of the Indian Plate collided with an unnamed microcontinent. Also, in a contemporaneous process, the upper crust underwent partial melting, and the generated magma intruded in an extensional tectonic set‐up of the northern edge (i.e., presently known as the Jutogh and Vaikrita thrust sheets) of the Indian Plate during the Neoproterozoic. The available zircon U–Pb ages of the JT sheet range between 550–2750 Ma. The magmatic nature of zircons, with two peaks of ~825 Ma and ~910 Ma, suggests that episodic magmatic processes have taken place during the Neoproterozoic. This study revealed that the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Sequence was a meta‐sedimentary sequence and was deposited in an active margin set‐up of the northern edge of the Indian Plate.

Petrographic and Geochemical Analysis of Indus Sediments: Implications for Placer Gold Deposits, Peshawar Basin, NW Himalaya, Pakistan

Alluvial placer gold deposits that accumulate in streams across the globe are essentially allochthonous sedimentary deposits that are transported from their source to their location of deposition. The purpose of this study was to find placer gold deposits in alluvial sediments along the Indus River in the NW Himalaya of Pakistan. The investigated region was divided into five clusters based on river morphology. The research focused on mineralogical distribution, sediment source, gold transport distance, elemental composition, and gold concentration in river sediments. Throughout, during the deposition at point and channel bars, the mixed source of alluvial sediments was revealed by its mineralogical composition. However, the SEM analysis demonstrated that the gold grains had a high flatness index, indicating that they had been transported a significant distance. The elemental composition of several samples revealed a significant concentration of silicon dioxide, iron oxide, and alumina oxide transported from the Himalaya. The study of the trace elements indicated gold and related base metals with granitic provenance were transported from an acidic/granitic source. Based on gold concentration, it is demonstrated that the left riverbank (clusters C1, C2, and C3) has a higher concentration of gold deposits and higher potential for economic gold exploration than the right bank (clusters C4 and C5) due to the lower velocity of running water in the study area. The findings revealed that the studied area has good potential for commercial exploration of gold resources, and the workflow can be adopted in any region with a similar geological setting and morphology.

Isolation and anticancer activity evaluation of rare Bisaryl anthraquinone antibiotics from novel Streptomyces sp. strain of NW Himalayan region

Biosynthesis of bisaryl preanthraquinone antibiotics by various microorganisms differs in monomeric subunits as well as their dimerization positions leading to different configurations. The present study relates to the production of rare bisaryl anthraquinone antibiotics by a new Streptomyces strain isolated from Shivalik region of NW Himalayas. In vitro anticancer and anti-migratory effects of Setomimycin (9,9′ bisanthraquinone antibiotic) was seen with a significant reduction in the expression of both MEK as well as ERK pathways in a dose dependent manner at 6.5 μM & 8 μM concentration in HCT-116 and 5.5 μM & 7 μM concentration in MCF-7 cells. In vivo studies in aggressive orthotopic mouse mammary carcinoma model (4T1) demonstrated about 76% reduction of primary tumor weight and 90.5% reduction in the tumor volume within two weeks. In vivo pharmacokinetics study of setomimycin revealed that it can be rapidly absorbed with an adequate plasma exposure and half-life which can be linked to its in vivo efficacy.