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Nature of the Moho in the mid-eastern part of the Chotanagpur Plateau, India, from a receiver function perspective

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Abstract

The present study aims to find out the crustal thickness, V P/V S ratio, and Poisson’s ratio beneath the Indian School of Mines (ISM) broadband seismic station using receiver function analysis. The station is located at latitude 23.82° N and longitude 86.44° E in the mid-eastern part of the Chotanagpur Plateau under the Eastern Indian Shield region. A total of 300 teleseismic events (M ≥ 6.0), recorded at the ISM station during 2007–2012, were compiled, and 97 good-quality events selected for the analysis. Receiver function analysis and H–k stacking method are used to determine the crustal thickness (H) and V P/V S ratio. The depth of Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuity below the station is estimated to be ∼42.2 km with an average V P/V S ratio of ∼1.92. We also find the presence of Conrad discontinuity at a depth of ∼20 km. The computed average Poisson’s ratio of ∼0.31 for the whole crust beneath the ISM broadband station is relatively higher and might be indicating the presence of mafic rocks or partial melt near the Moho. Similar observations were also reported from different segments of the Son-Narmada-Tapi mega-shear zone, a westward extended part of the present study area.

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Acknowledgments

The first author would like to thank Dr. P. Kumar, Scientist, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, for his valuable support during processing and interpretation of the data. The authors are also thankful to Shri Raj Kumar Prasad for providing the earthquake data recorded at the ISM-BB station. The study was funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The authors are thankful to the anonymous reviewer for his suggestion, which has improved the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Applied Geophysics, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India

    Neeraj K. Sharma, Prosanta K. Khan & Kuntal K. Bhukta

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  1. Neeraj K. Sharma
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  2. Prosanta K. Khan
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  3. Kuntal K. Bhukta
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Correspondence to Prosanta K. Khan.

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Sharma, N.K., Khan, P.K. & Bhukta, K.K. Nature of the Moho in the mid-eastern part of the Chotanagpur Plateau, India, from a receiver function perspective. Arab J Geosci 8, 5669–5675 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1648-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1648-8

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