Lithosphere,crust and basement ridges across Ganga and Indus basins and seismicity along the Himalayan front,India and Western Fold Belt,Pakistan

Spectral analysis of the digital data of the Bouguer anomaly of North India including Ganga basin suggest a four layer model with approximate depths of 140, 38, 16 and 7 km. They apparently represent lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB), Moho, lower crust, and maximum depth to the basement in foredeeps, respectively. The Airy’s root model of Moho from the topographic data and modeling of Bouguer anomaly constrained from the available seismic information suggest changes in the lithospheric and crustal thicknesses from ∼126–134 and ∼32–35 km under the Central Ganga basin to ∼132 and ∼38 km towards the south and 163 and ∼40 km towards the north, respectively. It has clearly brought out the lithospheric flexure and related crustal bulge under the Ganga basin due to the Himalaya. Airy’s root model and modeling along a profile (SE–NW) across the Indus basin and the Western Fold Belt (WFB), (Sibi Syntaxis, Pakistan) also suggest similar crustal bulge related to lithospheric flexure due to the WFB with crustal thickness of 33 km in the central part and 38 and 56 km towards the SE and the NW, respectively. It has also shown the high density lower crust and Bela ophiolite along the Chamman fault. The two flexures interact along the Western Syntaxis and Hazara seismic zone where several large/great earthquakes including 2005 Kashmir earthquake was reported.The residual Bouguer anomaly maps of the Indus and the Ganga basins have delineated several basement ridges whose interaction with the Himalaya and the WFB, respectively have caused seismic activity including some large/great earthquakes. Some significant ridges across the Indus basin are (i) Delhi–Lahore–Sargodha, (ii) Jaisalmer–Sibi Syntaxis which is highly seismogenic. and (iii) Kachchh–Karachi arc–Kirthar thrust leading to Sibi Syntaxis. Most of the basement ridges of the Ganga basin are oriented NE–SW that are as follows (i) Jaisalmer–Ganganagar and Jodhpur–Chandigarh ridges across the Ganga basin intersect Himalaya in the Kangra reentrant where the great Kangra earthquake of 1905 was located. (ii) The Aravalli Delhi Mobile Belt (ADMB) and its margin faults extend to the Western Himalayan front via Delhi where it interacts with the Delhi–Lahore ridge and further north with the Himalayan front causing seismic activity. (iii) The Shahjahanpur and Faizabad ridges strike the Himalayan front in Central Nepal that do not show any enhanced seismicity which may be due to their being parts of the Bundelkhand craton as simple basement highs. (iv) The west and the east Patna faults are parts of transcontinental lineaments, such as Narmada–Son lineament. (v) The Munghyr–Saharsa ridge is fault controlled and interacts with the Himalayan front in the Eastern Nepal where Bihar–Nepal earthquakes of 1934 has been reported. Some of these faults/lineaments of the Indian continent find reflection in seismogenic lineaments of Himalaya like Everest, Arun, Kanchenjunga lineaments. A set of NW–SE oriented gravity highs along the Himalayan front and the Ganga and the Indus basins represents the folding of the basement due to compression as anticlines caused by collision of the Indian and the Asian plates. This study has also delineated several depressions like Saharanpur, Patna, and Purnia depressions.     

藏南仲巴裂谷带地貌和断裂活动特征研究

仲巴裂谷位于藏南裂谷系的西侧,其断层发育、断错地貌清晰. 但目前,该断裂活动性研究尚属空白,制约了对整个藏南裂谷系变形机制的探索.基于GIS空间分析技术,利用数字高程模型数据系统提取该区的河流地貌参数,包括地形坡度、地形起伏度、河流陡峭指数和裂点等. 对该裂谷两侧36个流域盆地的地形参数结果进行统计和分析后发现:地形坡度与k_sn之间具有一致性,仲巴裂谷西侧北、中段坡度陡峭,k_sn值较高,南段支流中间部分陡峭,两端较缓,对应k_sn值中间高两端低;东侧坡度和k_sn分布呈现中段陡峭,两端变缓的特征. 河流纵剖面上表现出裂点上下陡峭系数的差异,东西两侧河流均在出水口处河段有最高河道陡峭系数,向上游段减小,总体上西侧河道陡峭系数大于东侧. 综合地形坡度、河流纵剖面及裂点分析结果,认为仲巴裂谷西侧断裂的构造活动性可能强于东侧.      

金湖凹陷隐性断裂带形成机制及分布

金湖凹陷基底存在北东、北西向两组断裂。北西向基底断裂活动较弱,对盖层变形影响较小,在盖层中多以隐性断裂带显现;北东向基底断裂活动强烈,对凹陷盖层变形影响较大,不仅形成了凹陷东部边界杨村断裂在内的多条显性断裂,而且形成了多条隐性断裂带。凹陷中部的北东向石港显性断裂带将凹陷分割成西部斜坡带和东部凹陷带。东部凹陷带受基底北西向断裂隐性活动的影响呈现南北分段特征。凹陷盖层中还发育了大量近东西走向的三、四级正断层,它们大致平行成带分布,形成了宝应平行雁列式断裂构造带、唐港雁列式断裂构造带、卞闵杨平行雁列式断裂构造带、西斜坡平行入字型断裂构造带、汊涧泥沛平行雁列式断裂构造带等一系列油气富集区带。上述构造带中的油气藏分布明显受到北东和北西向基底断裂活动影响,呈现北东、北西或近南北向成带、成串分布特征。应用区域地质、重磁等资料开展隐性断裂带预测,识别出10条北东向、5条北西向、6条南北向隐性断裂带。沉积盖层中形成的这些隐性断裂带控制了储集砂体分布、改善了储层物性、使隐性圈闭成带成串分布,是油气聚集成藏的有利区带。     

Correlation of lineaments and groundwater quality in Dasht-e-Arjan Fars,SW of Iran

The NE-oriented Dasht-e-Arjan graben is located 65 km west of Shiraz and has resulted from the active Kare-e-Bas fault segmentations. This extensional graben bounded by two fault system east-Arjan and west-Arjan to the Shahneshin and Salamati anticline. In these study using Landsat 7 ETM images with resolution 2.5 m and directional filtering in the four azimuths and semi-automatic technique for linear structure in the study area. Using the obtained data from extracted lineaments, the rose diagrams of the main strike lineaments are well confirm with field measurements of faults with N56° ± 4°E direction. The structural lineaments of the study area show that the Dasht-e-Arjan area is underlain by the limestone, sandstone, and marl. LANDSAT imagery of the area has been analyzed and interpreted in order to determine the lineament and groundwater quality across the area. The fracture is structurally controlled and mostly influences both the groundwater and surface water pollution and flow directions in the Dasht-e-Arjan. Using visual interpretation, determining the lineaments on the satellite image is very difficult and subjective, and it requires an experienced interpreter. In this study, the lineament analysis is undertaken to examine the orientation of the lineament, the relationship between lineaments and tectonic features and groundwater quality. Lineament density maps show that the lineament density is high around areas. Areas having high lineament density represent areas with relatively high groundwater pollution. Field observations agreed with the results from the analysis of the imagery.     

The protocontinental growth of the Indian Shield and the antiquity of its rift valleys

The evolution of the Indian Shield has been envisaged from the analysis of available tectono-lithostratigraphic, geochronological, geochemical and geophysical data. It appears that the Dharwar schist belts and their equivalents, except the Kolar schist belt, are not typical greenstone belts, but are representative of a transitional era of rapid transformation from simatic to sialic crust. In the Archaean—Proterozoic tract of India, relics of rocks older than 3.0 b.y. are identified in five widely separated regions of distinct tectono-litho-stratigraphic assemblages which probably represent the primordial continental nucleii. It is suggested that the growth of the Indian Shield has taken place through nucleation, accretion and merger into three protocontinents named Dharwar, Aravalli and Singhbhum. The cratonisation of the Indian unit seems to have been rapid and almost completed by the middle Proterozoic, as there is no significant variation in the composition of the clastic sediments and basalts from middle Proterozoic onwards. The continental nucleii appear to merge along the deep-seated lineaments, which are reflected on the tectonic map of India. Further, the Dharwar, Aravalli and Singhbhum protocontinents also seem to merge along a Y=shaped Narmada—Son—Godavari lineament which along with the Mahanadi lineament, between the two continental nucleii of the Singhbhum protocontinent have later developed into rift valleys.     

欧亚大陆风云影像线性构造信息提取及其地质分析

通过欧亚大陆风云影像的空间增强、光谱增强、辐射增强等系列处理和地质解释 ,提取了发育于该区的各种线性构造的相关信息。根据性质和规模将线性构造划分为大洋俯冲带、大陆俯冲带、大陆碰撞带、巨型线性构造、区域线性构造和局部线性构造等六类。文中重点介绍了乌拉尔—阿曼巨型线性构造带和阿尔卑斯大陆碰撞带的影像特征和地质意义。根据各类线性构造的特征和相互关系 ,突出了乌拉尔—阿曼和伊尔库茨克—横断山两条巨型线性构造带的地位 ,并以它们为界划分了三个构造域 :西亚构造域以印度板块的俯冲为特色 ,导致青藏高原的隆升和陆内强烈变形 ;东亚构造域最为重要的特征是太平洋板块的俯冲 ,形成一系列岛弧体系 ,并使大陆内部出现大量岩浆活动和强烈的构造变动 ;欧洲构造域主要为非洲—阿拉伯板块与欧洲板块的碰撞 ,二者之间没有明显的俯冲带 ,而有一个较宽广的接触带 ,强烈的变形集中在这一带内 ,而大陆内部的构造变动比较微弱。这种构造格局在欧亚大地水准面异常图上有明显反映 ,表明与深部地质作用过程有关。三个构造域的主导线性构造的方向组成了一个向南弯曲的弧形 ,弧顶位于西亚构造域。大陆巨型线性构造带呈经向和纬向展布 ,具长期发育特征 ,从更大尺度上看 ,板块边界线性构造也是呈经向和纬?     

Knickpoints along the upper Indus River,Pakistan: an exploratory survey of geomorphic processes

This article summarizes an exploratory study carried out to investigate the significance of various geomorphic features on the formation of observed knickpoints along the upper Indus River in northern Pakistan. These features include bedrock lithology, active faults, sediment flux from tributary channels, and landslide dams which have blocked the main channel. The knickpoints and their related geomorphic parameters (channel profile, concavity, drainage area and normalized steepness index, etc.) were extracted from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Models (GDEMs) with 30 m resolution using ArcGIS, River Tools, and Matlab software. A total of 251 major and minor knickpoints were extracted from the longitudinal profile along a ~ 750 km reach upstream of Tarbela Reservoir. The identified knickpoints and their respective normalized steepness index (k_sn values) were compared with bedrock lithology, mapped faults, regional landslide/rockslide inventory, and the locations of historic landslide dams. The analyses revealed that the knickpoints do not correlate with the bedrock lithology except where major unit boundaries coexist with mapped faults, especially in reaches criss-crossed by active thrust faults in the Nanga Parbat Haramosh (NPHM) region. Neither did the river’s major confluences exhibit any notable knickpoints, but the correlations between knickpoints, mapped landslides, and historic rockslide avalanche dams accounted for approximately 75% of the observed knickpoints, a surprising finding. These observations suggest that more detailed studies aided by high resolution data should be undertaken to further explore the characteristics of knickpoints triggered by tectonic uplift, local fault offset, bedrock erodibility, and landslide/rockslide dams.     

长江三峡工程库首区滑坡与线性构造的关系

三峡工程库首区分布着许多大型滑坡 ,在空间上具有丛集性规律。为探明滑坡空间上丛集性与线性构造关系 ,并查明线性构造的发育特征 ,采用了SPOT卫星像片线性构造解译及线性构造密度统计和失真指数分析方法。结果显示 ,滑坡密集区与线性构造的高密度区有较好的吻合关系     

Extraction and analysis of geological lineaments of Kolli hills,Tamil Nadu: a study using remote sensing and GIS

The aim of the present study is to investigate the lineaments of Kolli hills of Tamil Nadu State for which CARTOSAT-1 satellite’s DEM output has been made use of. The extracted lineaments were analysed using ArcGIS and Rockworks software. The total number and length of lineaments are 523 and 943.81 km, respectively. Shorter lineaments constitute about 3/4th of the total number of lineaments. The density of the lineaments varies from 0 to 7.41 km/km², and areas of very high to high density are restricted to the south central, central and north eastern parts, and these areas reflect the high degree of rock fracturing and shearing which makes these areas unsuitable for the construction of dams and reservoirs. However, these areas could be targeted for groundwater exploitation as they possess higher groundwater potential. The lineaments are oriented in diverse directions. However, those orienting in ENEWSW, NE-SW and NW-SE are predominating followed by those oriented in sub E-W and sub N-S directions. These orientations corroborate with results of previous regional studies and with orientations of prominent geological structures and features of the study area. Distinct variation in the predominant orientations of lineaments of varied sizes is observed, while the shorter ones are oriented in either NW-SE or NNW-SSE directions, the longer ones are oriented in either NE-SW or ENE-WSW. A comparative analysis of lineament datasets of the eight azimuth angles and the final lineament map underlines the need to extract lineaments from various azimuth angles to get a reliable picture about the lineaments.     

Lineament analysis of Cannanore district and their implication on the tectonic evolution of the area

The Cannanore district and the adjoining areas mainly comprise of charnokites, gniesses, high and low-grade schists and various types of igneous intrusives. The lineament fabric of the region indicates that the NNW-SSE, NW-SE, ENE-WSW and NE-SW lineament directions are prominent. It is suggested that the area has undergone at least three distinct phases of tectonic activity. The NW-SE and ENE-WSW lineaments appear to have formed during the phase of NW-SE folding. The NE-SW lineaments may be the result of the cross-folding of the earlier folds. The NNW-SSE lineaments have been related to the Precambrian tectonic activity in South India.     

Weathering processes in the Indus River Basin: implications from riverine carbon, sulfur, oxygen, and strontium isotopes

This study deals with the major ions and isotope systematics for C, O, S, and Sr in the Indus River Basin (IRB). Major ion chemistry of the Indus, and most of its headwater tributaries, follow the order Ca²⁺>Mg²⁺>(Na⁺+K⁺) and HCO₃⁻>(SO₄²⁻+Cl⁻)>Si. In the lowland tributaries and in some of the Punjab rivers, however, (Na⁺+K⁺) and (SO₄²⁻+Cl⁻) predominate. Cyclic salts, important locally for Na⁺ in dilute headwater tributaries, constitute about 5% of the annual solutes transported by the Indus. Weathering of two lithologies, sedimentary carbonates and crystalline rocks, controls the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations and its carbon isotope systematics throughout the Indus, but turbulent flow and lower temperatures in the headwaters, and storage in reservoirs in the middle and lower Indus promote some equlibration with atmospheric carbon dioxide. Combined evidence from sulfur and oxygen isotopic composition of sulfates refutes the proposition that dissolution of these minerals plays a significant role in the IRB hydrochemistry and suggests that any dissolved sulfates were derived by oxidation of sulfide minerals.

In the upper Indus, silicate weathering contributes as much as 75% (or even higher in some tributaries) of the total Na⁺ and K⁺, declining to less than 40% as the Indus exits the orogen. In contrast, about two-thirds of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the upper Indus (over 70% in some tributaries) and three-fourth in the lower Indus, are derived from sedimentary carbonates. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios tend to rise with increasing proportions of silicate derived cations in the headwater tributaries and in the upper and middle Indus, but are out of phase or reversed in the lower Indus. Finally, close to the river mouth, the discharge weighted average contribution of silicate derived Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺ and silicate derived Na⁺+K⁺ are, respectively, about one-fourth and two-thirds of their total concentrations.     

Analysis of lineaments within the Wajid Group,SW Saudi Arabia,and their tectonic significance

The Wajid Group is a Cambro-Permian sedimentary succession in southwest Saudi Arabia. This group is a well-known groundwater aquifer in the Wadi Al-Dawasir and Najran areas. The group also represents siliciclastic hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Rub' Al-Khali Basin. The Wajid Group is exposed in an area extending from Wadi Al-Dawasir southward to Najran city. This study aims to map and characterize the lineament traces of the Wajid Group outcrops. Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS satellite images with 30-m resolution, Spot-5 satellite images with 2.5-m resolution and SRTM digital elevation models (DEM) with 30-m resolution were used for lineament trace detection. Those lineament traces supplemented by aeromagnetic lineaments detected from reduced to pole magnetic anomaly map of the studied outcrop. Multi-scale lineament trace maps were generated, and the lineament datasets, including orientation and length, were analyzed statistically. Eight lineament trace trends were identified including NW-SE, NNW-SSE, N-S, NNE-SSW, NE-SW, ENE-WSW, E-W, and WNW-ESE. The northerly, northwesterly, and northeasterly trending lineament traces are predominant. The lineament trace lengths are generally followed the power law distribution. The lineament trace trends were validated through field investigation of the Wajid Group outcrop. The reported outcrop fracture trends are consistent with major lineament trace trends. Lineaments within the Wajid Group outcrop are also consistent with those of the southern portion of the Arabian Shield. The results of this study provide insight into the tectonic origin of the Wajid Group outcrop lineaments, and understanding of the lineaments distribution which can help to predict the fluid flow behavior within the groundwater fractured aquifers or hydrocarbon fractured reservoirs in Rub’ Al-Khali Basin.     

Recent crustal movements in the Central Sierra Nevada—Walker lane region of California—Nevada: Part ii, The pyramid lake right-slip fault zone segment of the Walker lane

The Pyramid Lake fault zone is within the Honey Lake—Walker Lake segment of the Walker Lane, a NW-trending zone of right-slip transcurrent faulting, which extends for more than 600 km from Las Vegas, Nevada, to beyond Honey Lake, California. Multiscale, multiformat analysis of Landsat imagery and large-scale (1: 12,000) lowsun angle aerial photography, delineated both regional and site-specific evidence for faults in Late Cenozoic sedimentary deposits southwest of Pyramid Lake. The fault zone is coincident with a portion of a distinct NW-trending topographic discontinuity on the Landsat mosaic of Nevada. The zone exhibits numerous geomorphic features characteristic of strike-slip fault zones, including: recent scarps, offset stream channels, linear gullies, elongate troughs and depressions, sag ponds, vegetation alignments, transcurrent buckles, and rhombohedral and wedge-shaped enclosed depressions. These features are conspicuously developed in Late Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentary deposits and landforms.The Pyramid Lake shear zone has a maximum observable width of 5 km, defined by Riedel and conjugate Riedel shears with maximum observable lenghts of 10 and 3 km, respectively. P-shears have formed symmetrical to the Riedel shears and the principal displacement shears, or continuous horizontal shears, isolate elongate lenses of essentially passive material; most of the shears are inclined at an angle of approximately 4° to the principal direction of displacement. This suggests that the shear zone is in an early “PreResidual Structure” stage of evolution, with the principal deformation mechanism of direct shear replacing the kinematic restraints inherent in the strain field.Historic seismic activity includes microseismic events and may include the earthquake of about 1850 reported for the Pyramid Lake area with an estimated Richter magnitude of 7.0. Based on worldwide relations of earthquake magnitude to length of the zone of surface rupture, the Pyramid Lake fault zone is inferred to be capable of generating a 7.0–7.5-magnitude event for a maximum observable length of approximately 6 km and a 6.75–7.25-magnitude event for a half length of approximately 30 km.     

NE-SW lineaments on java as observed from erts—1 images

It has been generally accepted that the main trend of late Tertiary and Quaternary tectonics on Java and Sumatra is parallel to the longest axis of the islands.A study of ERTS-1 images covering parts of central and eastern Java, reveals a set of NE—SW trending lineaments, which measure a few 10 km in length. The direction of these lineaments corresponds to the so-called Meratus tectonic trend.Without being directly recognizable as fault or fault-line features these lineaments are also observable on scale 1: 50,000 aerial photographs.Geomorphic features such as unpaired terraces, linear scars, morphological unconformities, different land-use patterns across the lineament, and coastline configurations, however, strongly suggest a fault-origin of these lineaments.     

Permo-Triassic tectonic evolution and metallogenesis of the Rockhampton—Maryborough area, Queensland — A photogeological investigation

Structural analysis of remotely sensed data provides a method of assessing the tectonic significance of regional metallogenic lineaments in the New England Orogen of southeastern Queensland. Photogeological analysis of Landsat imagery and small-scale aerial photography reveals a pattern of WNW—NNW-oriented structures, which were apparently generated in response to Mesozoic crustal extension and reactivated during Early Tertiary block faulting. These structures tend to overprint arcuate late Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic trends and batholith belts, and exert a control over Middle to Late Triassic rifting and epizonal plutonism. The distribution of epigenetic base and precious metal deposits in the Rockhampton—Maryborough area is locally but not regionally related to identifiable structural lineaments.     

雅砻江流域河道高程剖面上的堰塞坝印记

堰塞坝会对山区河流的纵剖面产生强烈扰动,在某些情况下,堰塞坝造成的河流纵剖面变陡很容易与构造作用下基准面下降的迁移裂点混淆。然而,在何种程度下堰塞坝会影响基于地貌测量的构造分析还没有系统的研究。因此本文选取青藏高原东缘的雅砻江流域为研究对象,利用遥感影像解译,结合数字高程模型(DEM),来研究堰塞坝对河流纵剖面的影响。通过遥感影像解译和部分野外判识,在雅砻江流域共发现了34个堰塞坝;同时利用TopoToolbox工具包,选用30 m SRTM DEM提取了雅砻江流域河流纵剖面、河流裂点、河流陡峭指数等地貌参数。分析结果表明,有18个堰塞坝与河流裂点在空间上重叠,其中有8个堰塞坝形成高差>100 m的裂点,对河流纵剖面有显著的影响,并发现滑坡坝比泥石流坝对河流纵剖面的影响更大。进一步分析雅砻江主干流及其支流力丘河,发现堰塞坝所在的河段河流陡峭指数相对较大;在排除岩性和断层活动的影响后,发现堰塞作用也能够解释河流裂点的成因。本研究结果指示,在利用DEMs来提取和分析区域构造信息时,必须考虑由堰塞坝引起的河流裂点的影响。     

High resolution seismic evidence for Ghaggar lineament and paleo-Saraswathi River

Geophysical data are needed to correlate the lineaments at the surface to the structural mapping of underlying bedrock. High resolution seismic survey is one of the most suitable geophysical methods for mapping of shallow features. In this study, 2D high resolution seismic reflection survey (HRSS) has been carried out across the Ghaggar, a seasonal river in Haryana, India. The survey is carried out for a profile distance of 10 km across the lineament along the course of Ghaggar River. Ground checks along the river have shown sediments containing alternate layers of alluvium deposits with yellowish silty clay and fine-grained gray sand of variable thickness. Several structural disturbances along the profile are identified. During the quantitative analyses, the results exhibit disturbances in the reflector representing the bedrock. Also, regional gravity data study does not report any major tectonic feature indicating the absence of seismicity associated with the lineament. The present study resulted in that (a) the1.5-km wide zone of disturbance is more likely to be a fracture rather than a major fault across the basement in the depth and (b) the meandering drainage pattern of the Ghaggar River which indicates that it is a basement-controlled lineament.     

Geomorphic observations from southwestern terminus of Palghat Gap,south India and their tectonic implications

The region around Wadakkancheri, Trichur District, Kerala is known for microseismic activity, since 1989. Studies, subsequent to 2nd December 1994 (M =4.3) earthquake, identified a south dipping active fault (Desamangalam Fault) that may have influenced the course of Bharathapuzha River. The ongoing seismicity is concentrated on southeast of Wadakkancheri and the present study concentrated further south of Desamangalam Fault. The present study identifies the northwestern continuity of NW–SE trending Periyar lineament, which appears to have been segmented in the area. To identify the subtle landform modifications induced by ongoing tectonic adjustments, we focused on morphometric analysis. The NW–SE trending lineaments appear to be controlling the sinuosity of smaller rivers in the area, and most of the elongated drainage basins follow the same trend. The anomalies shown in conventional morphometric parameters, used for defining basins, are also closely associated with the NW–SE trending Periyar lineament/s. A number of brittle faults that appear to have been moved are consistent with the present stress regime and these are identified along the NW–SE trending lineaments. The current seismic activities also coincide with the zone of these lineaments as well as at the southeastern end of Periyar lineament. These observations suggest that the NW–SE trending Periyar lineaments/faults may be responding to the present N–S trending compressional stress regime and reflected as the subtle readjustments of the drainage configuration in the area.     

Tectonics induced switching of provenance during the Late Quaternary aggradation of the Indus River Valley,Ladakh, India

The Indus River flows through Ladakh, one of the driest and coldest places on earth, in a tectonically active domain. Fluvial, glaciofluvial, lacustrine and debris dominated sequences represent the Late Quaternary sedimentary record along the river course. Karakoram Fault, a major crustal scaled feature reported to be active during the Quaternary, is associated with the Indus River drainage. Linkages between a major, active fault and deposits formed during the activity period of the fault are explored using heavy mineral deduced provenance and Optically Stimulated Luminescence(OSL) chronology.Five deposits in a ~200 km long stretch of the Indus River have been examined for a ~80 ka period to decipher the climate linked aggradation history. Damming of the Indus River at ~79 ka and existence of the Spituk Lake for >30 ka is demonstrated. Using geology of the provenance in relation to the mineralogical attributes of the Quaternary deposits, the major drainage reorganization when the connection of the Tangtse Valley to the Indus was blocked, is inferred at ~73 ka. It is supported by the geologicalgeomorphological evidence. The study demonstrates the application of provenance linked mineralogy in terrestrial aggradation in a tectonically active region.     

Flood risk assessment of River Indus of Pakistan

Annual flood peak discharges is widely used in risk assessment. Major sources of flooding in Pakistan are River Jhelum, River Chenab, River Kabul, and upper and lower parts of River Indus. These rivers are major tributaries of the River Indus System which is one of the most important systems of the world and the greatest system of Pakistan. River Indus is the longest river of Pakistan containing seven gauge stations and several barrages, and it plays a vital role in the irrigation system and power generation for the country. This paper estimates the risk of flood in River Indus using historical data of maximum peak discharges. On the basis of our analysis, we find out which dam/barrage reservoir need to be updated in capacity, and whether there are more dams/barrages needed.