Need for re-apprehension of basin tectono-depositional set-up during initial stage of Himalayan orogeny from pedogenic evidences

Singh, Seema and Ghosh, Prosenjit and Khanna, Yuvika (2017) Need for re-apprehension of basin tectono-depositional set-up during initial stage of Himalayan orogeny from pedogenic evidences. In: CATENA, 156 . pp. 102-112.

PDF CATENA_156_162_2017.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

The collision and suturing of Indian and Eurasian plates about 50 Ma ago closed the Tethys Ocean, initiated Himalayan orogen and a foreland basin developed towards its south. The last phase of marine sedimentation in Indian sub-continent during Paleocene-Eocene is represented by Subathu Formation overlain by continental Dagshai sediments and nature of this transition, named as `Passage beds' (sense Bhatia and Mathur, 1965), is controversial. Further, it is poorly understood both in terms of depositional environment and age. Surprisingly, these beds show evidences of pedogenesis but no such palaeopedological studies have been reported so far. The degree and nature of pedogenesis is widely used in solving diverse geological problems in complex geological settings. Therefore, pedogenesis of these beds exposed in the Shimla hills of Subathu sub-basin has been worked out. Morphological and micromorphological studies divide them into older green/greenish-grey pedofacies (GP) and younger red/reddish-brown pedofacies (RP) units. Pedons are up to tens of centimeters thick. Structure largely comprises sub-angular to sub-rounded blocky peds. A suite of pedogenic features include burrows, root traces, innings, mottling, cutans, segregations, and nodules which vary in dominance from GP to RP unit. Greenish-grey pedons are characterized by mottles, Fe-Mn oxide segregations whereas reddish-brown pedons by root traces commonly filled with carbonates, presence of carbonate segregations and cutans. Detailed field and laboratory studies at various local and regional exposures can reveal the nature and extent of pedogenesis which will be significant to enact depositional environment as well as stratigraphic position, of Passage beds co relatable at different localities throughout length of the Himalaya from Pakistan to Nepal because of their distinctive lithology and stratigraphic position. Such studies bear global significance in demonstrating the use of palaeosols as a geologic archive in complex geological settings.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	CATENA
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Centre for Earth Sciences
Date Deposited:	22 Jul 2017 06:38
Last Modified:	22 Jul 2017 06:38
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/57437

Actions (login required)

View Item