This theme encompasses the basic scientific investigations for understanding the Earth and its evolution with higher resolution and improved details. It combines observations from many different types of geological and geophysical study into a broad picture of the dynamics of the Earth. Close to the surface of the Earth, data includes field observations, geodesy, seismics, electromagnetics, geochronology, drilling boreholes and remote sensing techniques. For the study of the deeper earth, the mantle and core, geophysicists rely on seismology, gravitational and magnetic fields of the earth, petrology, mineralogy and experimentally recreating the conditions found in the Earth in high pressure high temperatureexperiments. The human and technical resources of CSIR-NGRI and the availability of a very large variety of complementary equipment and skills make it the premier research organization to conduct research in geodynamics in the country.
The ongoing projects in CSIR-NGRI on this theme are listed below
| Title: | Petrogenesis of mafic and ultramafic magmatism at Madawara Igneous Complex, Bundelkhand Craton: Implications for Platinum Group Elements (PGE) Metallogeny |
| Objective: | To unravel the field relationship between late Archean early Proterozoic ultamafic-mafic intrusions and the host litho units (granite gneisses) by characterizing the different magmatic processes through mineralogical, petrological, geochemical and geophysical including structural data components through an integrated approach. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 08/2014 - 07/2017 Ext. 07/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. M Satyanarayanan, Dr. M Ram Mohan, Dr. D Srinivasa Sarma, Dr. K Satish Kumar, Dr. K S V Subramanyam |
| Title: | Volcanic activity at Barren Island : vis-à-vis geodynamics of Andaman and Nicobar region |
| Objective: | Study the volcanic activity, magma movement, earthquake activity and deformation through installing a permanent GPS and broad band seismograph at Barren Island. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 08/2014 - 07/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. Joshi Catherine, Dr. V K Gahalaut, Dr. S K Mandal, M S Naidu |
| Title: | Age and Tectonothermal history of mafic and ultramafic rocks within the Cauvery Suture Zone, Southern India |
| Objective: |
* To understand the nature, deformational and metamorphic history and chemical characteristics of mafic -ultramafic rocks from the Cauvery suture zone. * To identify their age of emplacement and metamorphism by integrating geological mapping with whole-rock geochemistry, and mineral chemistry and to understand the internal architecture of the intrusion and its relationship with associated PGE mineralization. * To understand the timing, source and geodynamic setting of these intrusive mafic-ultramafic complexes through their style of deformation, age & metamorphic history. * To understand the geological evolution of Gondwana suture/ Cauvery Suture Zone, in particular by studying the deep crustal processes in the perspective of subduction-collisional regime. |
| Sponsor: | SERB (DST) |
| Duration: | 10.03.2015 - 09.03.2018 Ext. 30.09.2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. T. Yellappa |
| Title: | Geochemical isotopic and mineralogical investigations in bed sediments and suspended particulate matter of Krishna River |
| Objective: |
* To understand geochemical characteristics, provenance and transport pathways of sediments in Krishna River. * To study mineralogical and isotopic characteristics in bed sediments and suspended particulate matter (SPM). |
| Sponsor: | SERB (DST) |
| Duration: | 23.03.2015 - 22.03.2018 Ext. 26.09.2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. Archana B. K. |
| Title: | Stochastic modeling of thermal and rheological state of the lithosphere |
| Objective: | Solving the stochastic heat conduction equation to quantify thermal state of the crust and the lithosphere |
| Sponsor: | DST (WoS-A) |
| Duration: | 03.07.2015 - 02.07.2018 |
| Participants: | Ms G. Harini |
| Title: | Geological analysis of lunar cones, domes and lava flows in Imbrium, Tranquillitatis basins and Oceanus Procellarum region : Implications for volcanic evolution of the Moon |
| Objective: | To study the volcanic evolution of the Moon through identification of new volcanic features (domes and cones) in the mare region, and determination of their ages and stratigraphy and modelling approach to study its interior and thermal evolution. |
| Sponsor: | SAC (ISRO) |
| Duration: | 08/2015-07/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. P. Senthilkumar, Dr. Rajeev Menon, Dr. K. J. P. Lakshmi |
| Title: | Study of Moon and Mars analogues |
| Objective: | Mineralogical and geochemical studies on anorthosites, chromites from few select terrains from India |
| Sponsor: | SAC (ISRO) |
| Duration: | 09/2015- 08/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. G. Parthasarathy, Dr. M. Satyanarayanan |
| Title: | High pressure studies on Hydrous sulfates – Implications to Martian Subsurafce processes |
| Objective: | To improve understanding of the thermodynamic phase stability of select hydrous sulfates relevant to the Martian surface mineralogy and thereby to understand the subsurface geological processes on Martian surface |
| Sponsor: | PRL (PLANEX) |
| Duration: | 11/2015 - 10/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. G. Parthasarathy, Dr. M. Satyanarayanan |
| Title: | Deep Seismic Profile in Kachchh |
| Objective: | To decipher sub-surface nature of some of the major faults in Kachchh Rift like, South Wagad Fault,North Wagad Fault and Gedi Fault, possibly Kachchh Main Land Fault and also to detect hidden faults,if any in the region. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 11/2015 - 10/2017 Ext. 01.03.2018 Ext. |
| Participants: | Dr. Biswajit Mandal, S Raju, G S P Rao, N Venkat Rao, P Karuppannan, N Prem Kumar |
| Title: | Deformation across the Karakoram fault and Kaurik Chango rift and its implications on the NW Himalayan tectonics |
| Objective: |
* To establish 15 permanent GPS station in the Karakoram fault and Kaurik Chango rift regions to quantify the slip rate and to establish several campaign mode GPS sites in the region * It will also help in constraining the slip partitioning of India-southern Tibet oblique motion between the frontal Himalayan arc and Karakoram fault * The modeling of these results will help in an objective assessment of seismic hazard in the NW Himalaya. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 04/2016 - 03/2021 |
| Participants: | Dr. Joshi K Catherine, Dr. Saroj K Mondal, Dr. P Prasada Rao, A K Bansal, M Simhadri Naidu, V Rajeswara Rao |
| Title: | Origin and evolution of crust in the NE part of the Singhbhum craton : constraints from geochemistry and geochronology of granitoids |
| Objective: |
* Understand the petrogenesis of different suites of the granitoids of the NE parts of the Singhbhum craton and their role in crust formation * Unravaling juveline crust formation events as well as reworking episodes with implications to global events. * Tectonic model of granitoids and the evolution of the Singhbhum Craton |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 08/2015 - 07/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. E V S S K Babu, Dr. B Sreenivas, Dr. B Vijaya Gopal, T Vijaya Kumar |
| Title: | Geomorphic characterization of flash floods and mass wasting in upper Ganga terrain of Garhwal Himalaya : role of climate-tectonic interaction in gradation processes |
| Objective: |
* Geomorphic characterization and correlation of pilot catchments affected by flash floods and debris flow during last century in the Garhwal Himalaya. * To differentiate the geomorphic factors responsible for GLOF and LLOF type gradation process. * Integrate the numerical simulation with the field observation and dating of landforms to generate recurrence interval, understand paleoclimate interventions and generate model scenario. * The analysis of spatial relation of vulnerable zones with the habitation and major infrastructural growth to understand risk association. |
| Sponsor: | NMHS (GBPIHED) |
| Duration: | 04/2016 - 03/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. Anand K. Pandey, Dr. Prabha Pandey |
| Title: | Development of a unified system for processing and real time analysis of geomagnetic time series from high and low latitude observatories for study of meridional propagation of disturbances during storms and sub-storms |
| Objective: | Development of data processing techniques to record and characterise submeridonal disturbances at high and low latitude storms and substorms trending in southward direction. |
| Sponsor: | DST |
| Duration: | 28.09.2016 - 27.09.2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. Kusumita Arora, Mr. K. C. S. Rao, Dr. N. Phanichandrasekhar, Ms. L. Manjula |
| Title: | Impact cratering processes on Mars : Insights into spallation, ejecta mobility and target properties |
| Objective: |
* Geological mapping and analysis of impact craters on Mars * Study of ejecta boulders (size and shape) and acomparision with theoretical spallation models * Study of ejecta mobility, lobateness, rampart height and role of target properties including volatile content * Study of various impact crater degradation perocesses (gullies, landslides and rock-falls) and the role of climate and surface / sub-surface geology * Comparision between martian rampart ejecta and Lonar crater ejecta. |
| Sponsor: | ISRO |
| Duration: | 12/2016 - 11/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. P. Senthilkumar, Dr. Rajeev Menon, Dr. K. J. P. Lakshmi |
| Title: | Geochemical Flow Stratigraphy, Age and duration of Deccan Volcano-Sedimentary succession from Koyna Drill-Core Site |
| Objective: |
* Petrography, major, trace elements and isotopic study on the basaltic lava flows of the Koyna area amd to group them into different chemical types and sub-types and derivation of chemical closeness with the western Decan basalt formations. * Study of nature and type of contaminants accountable for the heterogeneity in the magma types and assessment of the volcanic history and magmatic processes that have been associated with the petrogenetic evolution of the entire lava package. * Chemico-mineralogical studies on clays associated with the intra-volcanic bole horizons to construct well constrained clay stratigraphy to understand palaeoenvironmental changes, duration of Decan volcanism and K/T boundary transition. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 02/2017 - 01/2020 |
| Participants: | Dr. M Satyanarayanan, Dr. Nimisha Vedanti, Dr. D Srinivasa Sarma, Dr. A Keshav Krishna, Dr. K S V Subramanyam |
| Title: | Nature and regularities of induced seismicity in areas of tectonic and anthropogenic impacts from field and laboratory data |
| Objective: | Development of seismic regime models using seismicity catalogues and laboratory experiments on core samples from deep boreholes in the Koyna region, India |
| Sponsor: | DST |
| Duration: | 10/2016 - 09/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. D. Srinagesh, Dr. Kusumita Arora, Dr. N. Purnachandra Rao, Dr. N. satyavani |
| Title: | Lithospheric Transect Study across the Eastern part of Narmada-Son Lineament based on constrained potential field modeling : Implications on Seismogenesis. |
| Objective: |
* Delineate the faults, domain boundaries in the eastern part of NSL * Preparation of the Geoid map of the region * Deep crustal & lithospheric structure of the region * Thermo-mechanical characteristics of the lithospheric & its implication on the seismogenesis. |
| Sponsor: | MoES |
| Duration: | 04/2017 - 03/2020 |
| Participants: | Dr. A. P. Singh, Dr. Niraj Kumar, Dr. B. Nageswara Rao, Dr. N. Srinivasa Rao. |
| Title: | Palaeo-weathering, palaeo-atmospheric condition and earth surface processes during the Late Archaean-Palaeoproterozoic transition, Singhbhum Craton, E India. |
| Objective: |
* To infer provenance of the clastics through high resolution facies analysis * To understand the nature of paleoweathering during the Archean-Palaeoproterozoic (AP) transition * To infer paleoclimate and atmospheric evolution across the AP transition * To formulate a techno-sedimentary model and reinvestigating genetic model of Au/REE enriched UPC. |
| Sponsor: | SERB-NPDF |
| Duration: | 03/2017 - 02/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. Shuvabrata De. |
| Title: | Facies analyses and geochemistry of clastic rocks of the Neoproterozoic basins of Trans-Aravalli region : Implications for paleo-weathering, provenance and geotectonic evolution |
| Objective: |
* To identify paleoweathering conditions, depositional environment, provenance, tectonic setting of the clastic sediments of Trans-Aravalli basins in particular of Sindreth and Sirohi by petrographic and geochemical studies * To differentiate source spectrum, if any, and the average crustal residence ages based on whole rock Sr, Nd isotope model ages of sedimentary rocks of Sindreth and Sirohi basins * The geochemical and geochronological data on Sedimentary rocks from Sindreth and Sirohi basins would be used to establish the temporal evolution of upper continental crust during the Neoproterozoic and to explore the connection of Trans-Aravalli region with Arabian-Nubian shield. |
| Sponsor: | SERB-NPDF |
| Duration: | 20.03.2017 - 19.03.2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. Tavheed Khan. |
| Title: | Reconstructing variability of Indian Monsoon since the Late Pleistocene using a marine sediment core (U1446) recovered from the Mahanadi Basin during the IODP Expedition 353 |
| Objective: |
* To reconstruct long-timescale (~1.2 Ma to recent) sea surface temperature (SST) at ~ 1 kyr resolution using trace elemental (Mg/Ca) studies on fossil planktonic foraminifera(G. ruber). * To reconstruct long-timescale (~1.2 Na to recent) sea water salinity and temperatutre changes using isotopic(δ18 O) and trace elemental (Mg/Ca) stuidies on thermocline dwelling planktonic foraminifera (N. dutertrei) * To reconstruct the India monsoon intensity based on geochemical analysis (major, trace and REE) of marine sediments. |
| Sponsor: | NCAOR |
| Duration: | 04/2017 - 03/2019 |
| Participants: | Mr. Netramani Sagar, Dr. M. Satyanarayanan, Ms. G. Suseela, Mr. K. Venkatesham, Mr. Waseem Raza |
| Title: | Deep Seismic Sounding Profiles in Gujarat to decipher the sub surface nature of major faults and also to detect hidden faults in the region |
| Objective: |
* To decipher sub-surface nature of some of the major faults in Kutch Rift like, South Wagad fault, North Wagad fault and Gedi fault, possibly Kutch main land fault, Katrol hills fault and also to detect hidden faults, if any,in the region * Crustal seismic strcuture of the Kutch region * Velocity determination with refraction / WAR * Application of the results in seismic hazard re-estimations * Delineating the sedimentary layers and the basin configuration * Integration of DSS results with others to help hydrocarbon exploration. |
| Sponsor: | ISR |
| Duration: | 04/2017 - 03/2019 |
| Participants: | Dr. Biswajit Mandal, Dr. Laxmidhar Behera, S Raju, Dr. Ranjana Ghosh, G S P Rao, N Venkat Rao, P Karuppannan, N Prem Kumar. |
| Title: | Mapping Geological structures in abandoned coal mines at Talcher in Mahanadi basin and Foot hills of Himalaya using Gravity and Airborne InSAR datasets |
| Objective: | * Identification of Geological/tectonic features of Gondwana sediments adjoining Sukindha Thrust zone in Mahanadi Grabben and Foot hills of NW Himalaya |
| Sponsor: | SAC (ISRO) |
| Duration: | 16.11.2017 - 15.11.2020 |
| Participants: | Dr. Anand P. Singh, Dr. Anand K. Pandey, Dr. V M Tiwari, Dr. B Nageswara Rao, Dinesh Kumar |
| Title: | Vector magnetic survey and Identification of buried magnetic objects at NTSL pilot site, Goa |
| Objective: |
* Continuous measurement of diurnal field variations at 4 different locations. * Magnetic field gradient survey over a region of 10,000sq mts with a grid of 2m x 2m * Measurement of magnetic permeability of rock samples * Measurement of AC field magnetic fields * Inclination and Declination measurements at survey location for plotting of absolute data of magnetic components |
| Sponsor: | GEOMARDY |
| Duration: | 03/2018 - 08/2018 |
| Participants: | Dr. Kusumita Arora, K Chandra Sekhar Rao, Dr. N Phani Chandrasekhar, L Manjula |