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Seismic evidence for thick and underplated late Archaean crust of eastern Dharwar craton

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Abstract

The deep crustal structure of eastern Dharwar craton has been investigated through τ-p extremal inversion of P-wave travel times from a network of seismographs recording quarry blasts. Travel times have been observed in the distance range 30–250 km in a laterally homogeneous lithospheric segment Main features of the inferred velocity-depth relationship include: (a) 29 km thick combined upper and middle crust velocity varying from 6 km/s to 7 km/s, with no observable velocity discontinuity in this depth range; (b) a lower crust (∼ 29–41 km) with velocity increasing from 7.0 to 7.3 km/s; (c) an average upper mantle velocity of 8.1 km/s; and (d) presence of a 12 km thick high velocity crustal layer (7.4 – 7.8 km/s) in the depth range 41–53 km, with a distinct velocity gradient marking a velocity increase of 0.4 km/s. The anomalous 53 km thick crust is viewed as a consequence of magmatic underplating at the base of the crust in the process of cratonization of the eastern Dharwar craton during late Archaean. The underplated material reflects here with the velocity of 7–3 to 7–8 km/s below the depth of 40 km. Our proposition of magmatic underplating is also supported by the presence of large scale I-granitoid, a product of partial melting of the upper mantle material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Geophysical Research Institute, 500007, Hyderabad, India

    S. S. Rai, P. V. S. S. Rajagopala Sarma, K. S. Prakasam & V. K. Rao

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  1. S. S. Rai
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  2. P. V. S. S. Rajagopala Sarma
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  3. K. S. Prakasam
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  4. V. K. Rao
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Rai, S.S., Sarma, P.V.S.S.R., Prakasam, K.S. et al. Seismic evidence for thick and underplated late Archaean crust of eastern Dharwar craton. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth Planet Sci.) 105, 431–439 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02842314

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02842314

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