Geodesy, Gravity, Magnetics, Thermal Geophysics, Paleomagnetism and Rock Mechanics

The most versatile group of CSIR-NGRI is basically devoted to understand the structure and evolution of Indian Subcontinent using various geophysical proxies. Since the inception of the CSIR-NGRI the Gravity and Magnetic Studies Group has been involved in the theoretical and applied research related to the crustal structure & evolution and natural resource exploration. The Group published the first Gravity Map Series of India in 1978 and subsequently the revised Gravity Map Series of India in 2006. Group established the first absolute gravity observatory at Hyderabad and absolute gravity bases at a number of places including Portblair in Andaman and Maitri station in Antarctica.

Heat flow studies were initiated at CSIR-NGRI in 1962 and first systematic temperature measurement was carried out in the year 1963 up to the depth of 2150m inside the Nandidurg mine, Kolar Gold Fields of South India. In last five-decade temperature measurements were done in many deep boreholes (200 to 1000 m) in several geological provinces. Thermal conductivity measurements on thousands of the rock samples were made in laboratory for determining the heat flow and made crustal thermal structure.

The branch of tectonic geodesy using GPS measurements, budded in mid 90s.Close to 100 GPS observatories is an integral part of this group to study the crustal deformation processes related to active tectonics. This group of CSIR-NGRI continues to be an active participant of the Indian expedition to Antarctica and maintains seismological, and GPS observatories at Maitri station.

Paleomagnetism Division has been working to establish the Pole Positions, Continental and Paleogeography reconstruction, Magnetostratigraphy, Rock magnetism and Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility in different geological provinces of Indian subcontinent.

Rock Mechanics laboratory undertakes geophysical research that involves characterization of rocks in terms of their petrophysical and mechanical properties, covering the crustal rocks of Indian Shield and Himalaya. The laboratory data are useful to seismo-tectonics studies, mining and engineering research, mineral and hydrocarbon exploration, and geophysical modelling of crust and lithosphere.