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Magnetotelluric impedance tensor analysis for identification of transverse tectonic feature in the Wagad uplift, Kachchh, northwest India

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Abstract

The 2001 Bhuj earthquake (Mw 7.7) occurred in northwestern region of Indian peninsula has reactivated a couple of transverse faults to its surroundings. Intermediate to moderate magnitude earthquakes are occurring along these faults which includes recent Dholavira earthquake (Mw 5.1, 2012) suggesting distinct tectonic scenario in the region. We present the results of magnetotelluric (MT) impedance tensors analyses of 18 sites located along a profile cutting various faults in the uplifted Wagad block of the Kachchh basin. The MT time series of 4–5 days recording duration have been processed and the earth response functions are estimated in broad frequency range (0.01–1000 s). The observed impedance tensors are analyzed by using three decomposition techniques as well as by the phase tensor method constraining with the induction arrows. The analyses suggest distinct tectonic feature within the block bounded by the South Wagad Fault (SWF) and the North Wagad Fault (NWF) particularly in the period band of 1–10 s. In the south of NWF, the telluric vectors and the major axes of the phase ellipses are aligned in the NNW–SSE to NW–SE direction where as a dominant E–W strike is obtained for northern side of the NWF. The transverse geo-electric strike coincides with the prominent clustering of seismicity after the Bhuj earthquake and trend of the Manfara transverse fault is located in close vicinity of the study area. We therefore suggest the presence NNW–SSE trending transverse structural feature in the Wagad uplift of the basin appears to play significant role in the current seismicity of the active intraplate region.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Director General, ISR for his kind permission to publish the work. We are also thankful to Prof. Becken and Prof. Alan Jones for giving the strike codes and the DST, Government of Gujarat for the financial support for carrying the field survey. Some figures have been prepared using GMT (www.soest.hawaii.edu/gmt). We are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions which enhanced the quality of the manuscript and the interpretation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), Raisan, Gandhinagar, 382 007, India

    G Pavan Kumar, Virender Kumar, Mehul Nagar, Dilip Singh, E Mahendar, Pruthul Patel & P Mahesh

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  1. G Pavan Kumar
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  2. Virender Kumar
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  3. Mehul Nagar
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  4. Dilip Singh
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  5. E Mahendar
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  6. Pruthul Patel
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  7. P Mahesh
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Correspondence to G Pavan Kumar.

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Corresponding editor: N V Chalapathi Rao

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Pavan Kumar, G., Kumar, V., Nagar, M. et al. Magnetotelluric impedance tensor analysis for identification of transverse tectonic feature in the Wagad uplift, Kachchh, northwest India. J Earth Syst Sci 126, 68 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-017-0851-x

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