Title: Anatomy of intracratonic Gondwana rift basins of Peninsular India: An integrated gravity, magnetic and remote sensing approach

Abstract

The Gondwana rift basins of Peninsular India are situated close and parallel to the junctions in the suture zones between the Archean cratons such as Dharwar, Bastar, and Singbhum. There are four Gondwana rift basins of India represented by the E-W trending Damodar and Satpura Basins and NW-SE trending Son-Mahanadi and Pranhita-Godavari Basins. A combined analysis of gravity, magnetic, and Remote Sensing techniques to delineate the subsurface structures to tracing the tectonic evolution of the basin. Landsat Remote sensing data, ground gravity, and Emag2 magnetic data were used to understand the surface and subsurface structures. The Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the Gondwana basins of India and its adjoining area depicts prominent linear gravity low of the order of 50mGal negative anomalies due to lower density Gondwana sediments. It shows a total anomaly variation of 148 mGal with a relative gravity low of 111 mGal and a high of 37 mGal. The EMAG2 magnetic anomaly map of the study area shows a variation of about 1773 nT with a low of -795 nT and a high of 978 nT. Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared sensor (TIRS) C2 Level 1 Data of 30m resolution used for integration purpose. The major structural trends show NNW–SSE from Pranhita-Godavari basin, ENE-WSW, and NW-SE from Son-Mahanadi basin, NE–SW from Satpura basin and it appears the different basins of the Damodar valley along with an E–W trending structures characterized by NW–SE Karanpura–Bokaro, NW–SE to NNE– SSW Jharia basin, NNW–SSE, and NNE–SSW Ranigunj basin.