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Gravity anomalies, flexure, and deformation of the converging Indian lithosphere in Nepal and Sikkim–Darjeeling Himalayas

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Abstract

Researchers ubiquitously noted that the common processes of partitioning oblique convergence in response to drag from the trench-hanging plate simultaneously produce radial slips, along-strike translation, and extension parallel to the deformation front. Here, we focus on the area between Nepal and Sikkim–Darjeeling Himalayas, and carry out gravity and finite-element stress modeling of the strike-orthogonal converging Indian lithosphere. We delineate the geometries of different layers and their interfaces through gravity modeling. The optimum model parameters along with rheological parameters of different layers are used for finite-element modeling. Finite-element modeling is done with boundary conditions of keeping the upper surface free and rigidly fixing the section of the northern boundary below the Main Himalayan Thrust. We impart on its frontal section an amount of 6 × 1012 N/m force, equivalent to resistive force of the Himalayan–Tibet system, and analyze the maximum and minimum compressive stress fields evolved in the lithosphere. We testify our observations with earthquake database and other geophysical and geological studies. We note that an increasing flexing of the Indian lithosphere beyond the Main Boundary Thrust becomes maxima between the Main Central Thrust and South Tibetan Detachment in both the areas; however, more steepening of the Moho boundary is identified in the Sikkim–Darjeeling Himalaya. This abrupt change in lithospheric geometry beneath the Greater Himalaya is likely correlated with the sharp elevation changes in the topography. Although the highest seismicity concentration is dominant in this zone, the Lesser and the Tethys Himalayas in Sikkim–Darjeeling area also record relatively fair seismic activity. More compressive stress field in different layers right within the sharp bending zone supports this observation. We thus propose that the sharp bending zone beneath the Greater Himalaya is suffering maximum deformation, and the deformation is continued in the mantle too. We also identify both right-lateral shear and radial vergence slip, which are presumably associated with the general dynamics and kinematics of the Himalaya.

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Acknowledgments

The first author is grateful to the Director, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, for partial financial support to carry out the present work. Partial financial benefit from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India, New Delhi, India, is also thankfully acknowledged. First author is also thankful to Gautam Kumar Nayak, Scientist, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India, for his critical suggestions during gravity modelling. The authors are thankful to Gautam Gupta and other anonymous reviewer for excellent suggestion, which has improved the manuscript.

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

    Md. Afroz Ansari, Prosanta K. Khan & Jayashree Banerjee

  2. National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India

    Virendra M. Tiwari

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  1. Md. Afroz Ansari
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  2. Prosanta K. Khan
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  3. Virendra M. Tiwari
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Correspondence to Prosanta K. Khan.

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Ansari, M.A., Khan, P.K., Tiwari, V.M. et al. Gravity anomalies, flexure, and deformation of the converging Indian lithosphere in Nepal and Sikkim–Darjeeling Himalayas. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 103, 1681–1697 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-014-1039-0

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