Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Status of geo-scientific research at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun during 2020–2023

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun is a premier Geological institute involved in both basic and applied research to unravel the Geodynamics of the mighty Himalaya, which covers a wide spectrum of Geoscientific disciplines: petrology, geochemistry, structural geology, geophysics, sedimentology, biostratigraphy, earthquake geology, geomorphology, environment & engineering geology, quaternary geology, hydrology, glaciology, etc. The state-of-the-art sophisticated analytical laboratories strongly substantiate the field data for understanding the geodynamic evolution of the Himalaya, seismogenesis of the region, studying landslides and avalanches, characterization and mitigation of geohazards related to earthquakes, landslides, snow/ice avalanches, glacier/landslide lakes outbursts, exploration of natural resources (minerals/ore bodies, hydrocarbons, springs, geothermal, etc.), comprehending glacier dynamics and fluvial systems, etc. Additionally, sub-surface features such as crustal heterogeneities, accumulation of elastic strain and convergence rate, crust-mantle interaction, and shallow/deep earth processes are also being probed. Besides investigating basic scientific issues, the Institute provides geoscience support to other government agencies/bodies in understanding and mitigating several hazards-related programs like landslides, avalanches, earthquakes, and floods in the Himalaya. Research activities during 2020–2023 are centered on the major thrust area of “Characterization and Assessment of Surface and Subsurface Processes in Himalaya (CAP-Himalaya): Implications on Geodynamics, Seismogenesis, Bioevents, Paleo-climates, Natural Hazards, and Natural Resources for Sustainable Development”. The research program of the CAP Himalaya is accomplished through different activities. The major achievements in each activity are highlighted here.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bhambri, R., Schmidt, S., Chand, P., Nüsser, M., Haritashya, U., Sain, K., Tiwari, S.K., Yadav, J.S.: Heterogeneity in glacier thinning and slowdown of ice movement in the Garhwal Himalaya, India. Sci. Total Environ. 875, 162625 (2023a). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162625

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri, R., Sain, K., Chand, P., Srivastava, D., Tiwari, S.K., Yadav, J.S.: Frontal changes of Gangotri Glacier, Garhwal Himalaya, between 1935 and 2022. J. Geol. Soc. India. 99(2), 169–172 (2023b). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-023-2283-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal, D.P., Pratap, B., Bhambri, R., Mehta, M.: Mass balance and morphological changes of Dokriani Glacier (1992–2013), Garhwal Himalaya, India. Quaternary Sci. Adv. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2021.100033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hazarika, D., Hajra, S., Kundu, A., Bankhwal, M., Kumar, N., Pant, C.C.: Imaging the Moho and Main Himalayan Thrust beneath the Kumaon Himalaya: Constraints from receiver function analysis. Geophys. J. Int. 224, 858–870 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hazarika, D., Kundu, A., Ghosh, P.: Seismotectonic scenario of the indenting northeast corner of the Indian plate in the Tidding-Tuting suture zone of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. Tectonophysics. 824, 229197 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2021.229197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, P.C., Sain, K., Omosanya, K.O.L.: Geometry and kinematics of strike-slip faults in the Dibrugarh field of the Upper Assam foreland basin, NE India. Mar. Pet. Geol. 153, 106291 (2023a)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, P.C., Kumar, J., Sain, K.: Subsurface fluid flow: A case study from the Indo-Gangetic peripheral foreland basin. Results Geophys. Sci. 14, 100057 (2023b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, N., Haldar, C., Sain, K.: Seismological evidence for intra-crustal low velocity and thick mantle transition zones in the north-west Himalaya. J. Earth Syst. Sci. (2023c). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02109-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kundu, A., Hazarika, D., Hajra, S., Yadav, D.K.: Imaging the crustal structure at the northeast corner of the indenting Indian plate in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis, Geophys. J. Int. 235, 1035–1048 (2023)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta, M., Kumar, V., Sain, K., Tiwari, S.K., Kumar, A., Verma, A.: Causes and consequences of Rishiganga flash flood, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, central Himalaya, India. Curr. Sci. 21(11), 1484–1487 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sain, K.: Need for development of AI-based Integrated Warning System (IWS) for mitigation of Glaciers/Glacial-lakes related hazards with special reference to Uttarakhand Himalaya. J. Geol. Soc. India. 98(7), 1012–1014 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-022-2109-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sain, K., Kumar, P.C.: Meta-attributes and Artificial Networking: A New Tool in Seismic Interpretation, Eds, p. 262. Wiley, Hoboken (2022)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sain, K., Kumar, A., Mehta, M., Verma, A., Tiwari, S.K., Garg, P.K., Kumar, V., Rai, S.K., Srivastava, P., Sen, K.: A perspective on RishigangaDhauliganga Flash Flood in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Garhwal Himalaya, India. J. Geol. Soc. India. 97(4), 335–338 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shugar, D.H., Kumar, A., Sain, K., Westoby, M.J.: A massive rock and ice avalanche caused the 2021 disaster at Chamoli. Indian Himalaya Sci. 373(6552), 300–306 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abh4455

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, S., Gupta, A.K., Dutt, S., Bhaumik, A.K., Anderson, D.M.: Abrupt shifts in the Indian summer monsoon during the last three millennia. Quatern. Int. 558, 59–65 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2020.08.033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, N.P., Patnaik, R., Čerňanský, A., Sharma, K.M., Singh, N.A., Choudhary, D., Sehgal, R.K.: A new window to the fossil herpetofauna of India: Amphibians and snakes from the Miocene localities of Kutch (Gujarat). Palaeobiodivers. Palaeoenviron. 102, 419–435 (2022a). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-021-00515-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, N.P., Deep, S., Čerňanský, A., Sehgal, R.K., Singh, A.P., Kumar, N., Uniyal, P., Kumar, S., Krishan, K., Patnaik, R.: Fossil lizards and snakes (Diapsida, Squamata) from the late miocene hominid locality of Haritalyangar, India. Geobios. 75, 41–51 (2022b). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2022.10.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, P., Sethy, P.C., Singh, A.K., Singhal, S., Maurya, A.K., Giri, S.R.: Geochemistry and U–Pb zircon geochronology of the Jutogh Thrust sheet, Himachal Pradesh, NW-Himalaya: Implications to the petrogenesis and regional tectonic setting. Geol. J. 58(1), 131–149 (2023)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari, A., Sain, K., Kumar, A., Tiwari, J., Paul, A., Kumar, N., Haldar, C., Kumar, S., Pandey, C.: Potential seismic precursors and surficial dynamics of a deadly himalayan disaster: An early warning approach. Sci. Rep. 12(3733), 1–13 (2022a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari, S.K., Sain, K., Yadav, J.S.: Assessment of geothermal renewable energy with reference to Tapovan geothermal fields, northwest Garhwal Himalaya, India. Jour Geol. Soc. India. 98, 765–770 (2022b)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valdiya, K.S.: The two intracrustal boundary thrusts of the Himalaya. Tectonophysics. 66(4), 323–348 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verma, S.K., Kumar, N., Hazarika, D., Paul, A., Yadav, D.K., Pal, S.K.: Shear wave crustal velocity structure in the Garhwal-Kumaon Himalaya based on noise cross-correlation of Rayleigh wave. Tectonophysics. 866, 230047 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2023.230047

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Contributions of researchers and technical staff of WIHG, Dehradun are sincerely acknowledged. KS acknowledges SERB-DST for providing him with the J.C. Bose National Fellowship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun, 248001, India

    Kalachand Sain, Devajit Hazarika, Koushik Sen & R. Jayangonda Perumal

Authors
  1. Kalachand Sain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Devajit Hazarika
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Koushik Sen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Jayangonda Perumal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Devajit Hazarika.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no financial or non-financial conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sain, K., Hazarika, D., Sen, K. et al. Status of geo-scientific research at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun during 2020–2023. Proc.Indian Natl. Sci. Acad. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-024-00277-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-024-00277-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation