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Tectonic appraisal of the Mid-Thane Creek of Mumbai, India: An integrated geophysical approach

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Abstract

Integrated geophysical surveys, comprising marine magnetic, high resolution shallow seismic and single-beam bathymetry were conducted to assess subsurface tectonics of the Mid-Thane Creek (MTC) of Mumbai. The bathymetry in the intertidal zone of MTC varies drastically due to periodic dredging, with maximum depth up to 6.4 m and a minimum of ~−1.6 m. High resolution shallow seismic sections up to the depth of ~35 m from the sea-floor are generated to analyze the neotectonic activity of the creek. Imprints of deep-seated lineaments are recognized from magnetic anomaly map of the MTC. To delimit lateral extent of the lineaments/faults, results of several derivative methods including tilt derivative and standard Euler deconvolution are merged with the selected crest value of the horizontal derivative. To estimate depth to the source, Euler deconvolution, tilt derivative, analytic signal, and source parameter imaging method have been used. However, the depth estimation for the lineaments/faults is highly discrepant for this region, because of the complex tectonics associated with the periodic emplacements of Deccan flood basalt. To confine the top and bottom boundary of this highly magnetized basaltic layer, we have carried out spectral analysis considering 18 windows of 2000 × 2000 m with an overlap of 500 m. The average depth to the top and bottom of the source body estimated using spectral analysis is consistent with the depth estimated from the derivative filters. This confirms that the lineaments identified by the derivative filters may embed in the basaltic layer of MTC. The most prominent lineament interpreted from the seismic and magnetic data, in the central region of MTC is inferred as the marine analogue of Alibagh–Uran Fault passing through the mainland of Alibagh and Uran close to Mumbai city.

Highlights

  • Acquired, processed and interpreted high resolution shallow seismic, marine magnetic, single beam bathymetry data in the Mid-Thane creek of Mumbai, India.

  • Neo-tectonic and deep-seated tectonic elements are identified using the seismic and magnetic data.

  • Identification of the faults/lineaments and source depth estimation are performed using total horizontal, analytic signal, tilt derivative, Euler deconvolution and source parameter imaging derivative methods.

  • Thickness of the flood basalt where the faults/lineaments are embedded is estimated using spectral analysis.

  • Interpreting the marine extension of Alibagh–Uran fault zone in the Mid-Thane creek of Mumbai, India.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Prof. Sunil Kumar Singh, Director, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa for the support and permission to publish this work. Sincere thanks to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for approaching Dr. Anil K Chaubey, Scientist-in-Charge, CSRI-NIO, Regional Center, Mumbai to conduct the geophysical survey under the project no: SSP3170. We acknowledge the instrumentation team and the survey team from CSIR-NIO, Head Quarters, Goa, for the excellent technical and field assistance. Seismic processing and interpretation are performed using SeisSpace®ProMAX®. Magnetic data processing, interpretation and integrated modelling are carried out using Geosoft-Oasis Montaj software. Eco-sounder data is processed using HYPACK® software. The support from the survey boat crew is specially mentioned with gratitude. Authors are extremely grateful to the reviewers for the thorough review and productive comments. This is NIO contribution 6557.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Center, Lokhandwala Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400 053, India

    J Jacob, V K Pitchika, K M Dubey, A Mishra, P Kumar, S Kumar & A K Chaubey

  2. CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

    J Jacob & V P Mahale

  3. Department of Marine Sciences, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa, 403 206, India

    K M Dubey

  4. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

    A Mishra & P Kumar

  5. Department of Geophysics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005, India

    S Kumar

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  1. J Jacob
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Contributions

JJ contributed in data acquisition, modelling magnetic and bathymetry data, interpretation of the magnetic data, conceptualizing and writing the manuscript. VKP contributed in data acquisition, magnetic data processing, modelling magnetic data and manuscript revisions. KMD contributed in data acquisition, seismic data processing, interpretation and manuscript revisions. AM contributed in magnetic data interpretation and manuscript revisions. PK and SK contributed in forward modelling and manuscript revisions. VPM contributed in data acquisition and bathymetry data processing. AKC contributed in planning and executing the data acquisition, scientific discussions and manuscript revisions.

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Correspondence to J Jacob.

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Communicated by Munukutla Radhakrishna

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Jacob, J., Pitchika, V.K., Dubey, K.M. et al. Tectonic appraisal of the Mid-Thane Creek of Mumbai, India: An integrated geophysical approach. J Earth Syst Sci 129, 207 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01464-3

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