Enriched and depleted arc basalts, with Mg-andesites and adakites: A potential paired arc-back-arc of the 2.6 Ga Hutti greenstone terrane, India

The ∼2.6 Ga Hutti greenstone belt is one of several Neoarchean greenstone terranes of the eastern Dharwar Craton. There are prevalent mafic volcanic flows with subordinate felsic volcanic units and siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. All lithologies show variable intensities of submarine hydrothermal alteration, polyphase deformation and greenschist to amphibolite grade metamorphism, yet pillow, cumulus, and other primary volcanic features are locally preserved. Well exposed interlayered metabasalts, Mg-andesites (MA), and felsic flows outcrop along an 11 km sector in the SE of the terrane. Based on combined petrographic and geochemical characteristics, two tholeiitic basalt populations have been identified within the metabasalts: (1) those with enriched LREE at 20-50 times chondrite, and (2) an depleted LREE population at 12-20 times chondrite. The former has fractionated LREE, where (La/Sm)_N = 1.2-1.7, but flat HREE, and negative anomalies at Nb, P, and Ti relative to neighbouring REE. The latter has lower absolute abundances of compatible and incompatible elements, mildly fractionated LREE, smaller anomalies at Nb, P, and Ti, with (Gd/Yb)_N = 1.1-1.6. Several samples have the “N-MORB” signature of LREE depletion coupled with positive Nb anomalies. On the Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb discrimination diagram depleted basalts plot near the MORB field whereas enriched basalts overlap the backarc and arc fields, consistent with a paired arc-back-arc. Mg-andesites feature SiO₂ 57-61 wt.%, multielement pattens similar to enriched basalts, coupled with Cr, Co, Ni contents greater than “normal” andesites. Felsic volcanic rocks are characterized by low Y, high (La/Yb)_N, and Zr/Sm, but low Nb/Ta, with zero to positive Eu anomalies, thus conforming to most of the compositional criteria of Archean and Phanerozoic adakites. Similar associations of enriched and depleted arc basalts, with adakites, are known from Neoarchean greenstone terranes of the Superior Province. During intraoceanic subduction, slab dehydration-wedge melting generated arc basalts whereas slab melting-wedge hybridization, generated adakites and Mg-andesites.     

SAR image analysis techniques for flood area mapping - literature survey

Flood area mapping is an integral part of disaster management operation which gets value when the details about inundated region has been made available in real time mode as well as when the much required temporal information is shared to the disaster mitigation authorities at right time. The challenges of such real time flood area mapping operations can be met by spaceborn Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology which is capable of capturing the critical information of large and hard-to-reach territories during all weather and all time situations. Mapping the flood related information of SAR images require much attention as the pixels associated with the inundated regions exhibit similar reflectance with major part of the pixels associated with high altitude region, shadow, runway and broad road networks. Such challenges have been addressed by worldwide researchers with the help of image processing functions. Many such SAR image based flood area mapping models take the advantages of various image classification approaches as well as in integrating multiple image processing functions mainly to differentiate the inundated pixels from other pixels which exhibits similar reflectance by which the mapping accuracy is enhanced. This paper is dedicated, in understanding and documenting various such significant SAR image based flood area mapping models by highlighting its strengths. Significant SAR image bases flood area mapping models from 1990’s to 2015 has been discussed. The respective references can be used by young researchers who are interested and willing to work in SAR image based flood area mapping techniques.     

Assessment of uranium in correlation with physico-chemical properties of drinking water of Northern Rajasthan

In the present study, analysis of 238U concentration in 40 drinking water samples collected from different locations of Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan, India has been carried out by using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (HR-ICP-MS) technique. The water samples were taken from hand pumps and tube wells having depths ranging from 50 to 800 feet. The measured uranium concentration lies in the range from 0.89 to 166.89 μg l^-1 with the mean value of 31.72 μg l^-1. The measured uranium content in twelve water samples was found to be higher than the safe limit of 30 μg l^-1 as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA, 2011). Radiological risk calculated in the form of annual effective dose estimated from annual uranium intake ranges from 0.66 to 138.63 μSv y^-1 with the mean value of 26.28 μSv y^-1. The annual effective dose in two drinking water samples was found to be greater than WHO (2004) recommended level of 100 μSv y^-1. Chemical risk calculated in the form of lifetime average daily dose (LAAD) estimated from the water samples varies from 0.02 to 4.57 μg kg^-1 d^-1 with the mean value of 0.87 μg kg^-1 d^-1. The lifetime average daily dose (LAAD) of ten drinking water samples was found to be greater than WHO (2011) recommended level of 1 μg kg^-1 d^-1. The corresponding values of hazard quotient of 48% water samples were found to be greater than unity.A good positive correlation of uranium concentration with total dissolved solids (TDS) and conductance has been observed. However no correlation of uranium concentration with pH was observed. The results revels that uranium concentration in drinking water samples of the study area can cause radiological and chemical threat to the inhabitants.     

Anthropogenic platinum,palladium and rhodium concentrations in road dusts from Hyderabad city,India

This paper presents the first study of accessing the Pt, Pd and Rh levels in road dusts collected from Hyderabad city, India, as these metals, emitted from automobile catalytic converters, are accumulating in the environment causing concern about human health and ecological risks. Samples were analyzed by ICP-MS following preconcentration by NiS-fire assay and Te coprecipitation. Pt (1.5–43 ng/g), Pd (1.2–58 ng/g) and Rh (0.2–14.2 ng/g) concentrations obtained were above upper crust values, but were lower when compared with several other cities around the world. Dust samples from road junctions and traffic signals with heavy and erratic traffic flow showed higher PGE levels than those from roads with low and free flow traffic suggesting that traffic flow conditions greatly influenced emission of PGE from the catalyst. Significant correlation of Pt, Pd and Rh indicate a common source for these metals. PGE were also positively correlated with Ce, Zr, Hf and Y. These positive inter-element correlations identified traffic as the main source of PGE emission to the roadway environment. The results obtained indicate to an appreciable increase in auto catalyst-derived PGE. In consideration of the adverse effects of PGE, monitoring their level and transformation paths is of prime importance.     

Neoarchean suprasubduction zone arc magmatism in southern India: Geochemistry,zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes of the Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex

The Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex (SAC) in southern India is one of the well exposed Archean layered anorthosite-gabbro-ultramafic rock associations. Here we present high precision geochemical data for the various units of SAC, coupled with zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic data for the anorthosite. The zircon ages define two populations, the older yield a concordia age of 2541 ± 13 Ma, which is interpreted as the best estimate of the magmatic crystallization age for the Sittampundi anorthosite. A high-grade metamorphic event at 2461 ± 15 Ma is suggested by the upper intercept age of the younger zircon population. A Neoproterozoic event at 715 ± 180 Ma resulted in Pb loss from some of the metamorphic zircons. The magmatic age of the anorthosite correlates well with the timing of crystallization of the arc-related ~ 2530 Ma magmatic charnockites in the adjacent Salem Block, while the metamorphic age is synchronous with the regional metamorphic event. The geochemical data suggest that the rocks were derived from a depleted mantle source. Sub-arc mantle metasomatism of slab derived fluids and subsequent partial melting produced hydrous, aluminous basalt magma. The magma fractionated at depth to produce a variety of high-alumina basalt compositions, from which the anorthositic complex with its chromite-rich and amphibole-rich layers formed as cumulates within the magma chamber of a supra-subduction zone arc. The coherent initial¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios and positive εHf values (1.7 – 4.5) of the magmatic zircons in the anorthosite are consistent with derivation of a rather homogeneous juvenile parent magma from a depleted mantle source. Our study further confirms that the southern part of the Dharwar Craton was an active convergent margin during the Neoarchean with the generation and emplacement of suprasubduction zone arc magmas which played a significant role in continental growth.     

Multistage melt impregnation in Tethyan oceanic mantle: Petrochemical constraints from channelized melt flow in the Naga Hills Ophiolite

Ophiolitic sequences obducted onto continental margins allow field based observations coupled with petrochemical interrogations of upper mantle lithologies thereby aiding evaluation of compositional heterogeneity of oceanic mantle, depletion-enrichment events and geodynamic conditions governing oceanic lithosphere formation. The Naga Hills Ophiolite (NHO) suite preserves a segment of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere encompassing a package of mantle and crustal lithologies. This paper for the first time reports the occurrence of melt flow channels traversing the mantle section near Molen of the NHO and presents a comprehensive study involving chromite-spinel chemistry, bulk rock major, trace and PGE geochemistry to understand the petrogenesis and evolution in a geodynamic transition from mid oceanic ridge (MOR) to suprasubduction zone (SSZ). The spinel chemistry of peridotitic melt channels depicts both MOR-type and SSZ signatures underlining a transitional tectonic frame. Chromite chemistry and high Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ranging from 15.98–35.70 in concurrence with low CaO/Al₂O₃ ranging from 0.03–0.53; and chondrite normalised LREE > MREE < HREE patterns confirm the influx of boninitic melts into the refractory mantle. The boninitic signature shared by melt channels and host rock invokes a geochemical and geodynamic transition from anhydrous melting of depleted mantle to hydrated fluid flux melting resulting in boninitic melts, that subsequently impregnate and refertilise the fore arc mantle wedge in a SSZ regime at the nascent stage of subduction. The high Ba/Nb, Ba/Th, and Ba/La for the studied peridotites highlight the influx of subduction derived fluids in the supra subduction mantle. Further higher Zr/Hf and Nd/Hf with respect to primitive mantle values in concurrence with lower Nb/Ta suggest progressive refertilisation due to fluid- and melt-driven metasomatism of the refractory fore arc mantle wedge. The chondrite normalised PGE patterns suggest positive Ir and Ru anomalies stipulating the source to be refractory while enriched Pt and Pd underpins the mobilisation of these elements by subduction derived fluids and melts. The elevated abundances of PPGEs than IPGEs as cited by PPGE/IPGE > 1; and Pd/Pt avg. 0.85 for melt channels and 0.84 for host peridotites indicate fluid-fluxed metasomatism of fore arc mantle wedge with a S-undersaturated trend coupled with boninitic affinity. The mineral, trace, REE and PGE chemistry collectively emphasizes that the mantle peridotites of the NHO formed in a transitional geodynamic tectonic setting caused by fore arc extension during subduction initiation followed by rejuvenation by subduction derived fluids and boninitic melts, which typically are of the SSZ tectonic regime. The harzburgitic melt channels and host rock are refractory in nature, reflecting multiple episodes of melt extraction of about 5–15% and ~10–20% respectively from a spinel peridotite mantle source. The occurrences of these melt channels indicate segregation and percolation of melt through porous and channelized network in upper mantle peridotites.     

Petrogenesis of carbonatitic lamproitic dykes from Sidhi gneissic complex,Central India

Petrographic, mineral chemical and whole-rock geochemical characteristics of two newly discovered lamproitic dykes(Dyke 1 and Dyke 2) from the Sidhi Gneissic Complex(SGC), Central India are presented here. Both these dykes have almost similar sequence of mineral-textural patterns indicative of:(1) an early cumulate forming event in a deeper magma chamber where megacrystic/large size phenocrysts of phlogopites have crystallized along with subordinate amount of olivine and clinopyroxene;(2) crystallization at shallow crustal levels promoted fine-grained phlogopite, K-feldspar, calcite and Fe-Ti oxides in the groundmass;(3) dyke emplacement related quench texture(plumose K-feldspar, acicular phlogopites) and finally(4) post emplacement autometasomatism by hydrothermal fluids which percolated as micro-veins and altered the mafic phases. Phlogopite phenocrysts often display resorption textures together with growth zoning indicating that during their crystallization equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface fluctuated multiple times probably due to incremental addition or chaotic dynamic self mixing of the lamproitic magma. Carbonate aggregates as late stage melt segregation are common in both these dykes, however their micro-xenolithic forms suggest that assimilation with a plutonic carbonatite body also played a key role in enhancing the carbonatitic nature of these dykes. Geochemically both dykes are ultrapotassic(K_2 O/Na_2 O: 3.0-9.4) with low CaO, Al_2 O_3 and Na_2 O content and high SiO_2(53.3-55.6 wt.%)and K_2 O/Al_2 O_3 ratio(0.51-0.89) characterizing them as high-silica lamproites. Inspite of these similarities, many other features indicate that both these dykes have evolved independently from two distinct magmas. In dyke 1, phlogopite composition has evolved towards the minette trend(Al-enrichment) from a differentiated parental magma having low MgO, Ni and Cr content; whereas in dyke 2, phlogopite composition shows an evolutionary affinity towards the lamproite trend(Al-depletion) and crystallized from a more primitive magma having high MgO, Ni and Cr content. Whole-rock trace-elements signatures like enriched LREE, LILE, negative Nb-Ta and positive Pb anomalies; high Rb/Sr, Th/La, Ba/Nb, and low Ba/Rb, Sm/La, Nb/U ratios in both dykes indicate that their pareintal magmas were sourced from a subduction modified garnet facies mantle containing phlogopite. From various evidences it is proposed that the petrogenesis of studied lamproitic dykes stand out to be an example for the lamproite magma which attained a carbonatitic character and undergone diverse chemical evolution in response to parental melt composition, storage at deep crustal level and autometasomatism.     

DEM and SAR image based flood feature extraction techniques to map the deep and shallow flood inundated regions of known as well as remote disaster regions

It is viable to differentiate the deep and shallow flood inundated regions through a new flood feature extraction techniques named as ‘Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image based flood feature extraction model’. The proposed model has been built mainly on the top of DEM of the disaster region without adopting standard multi-layer GIS techniques. To meet the time related factors of flood early warning system the image clustering operations has been automated at three different levels which bifurcates the input datasets and extracts the much required end results such as deep flooded regions, shallow flood inundated regions and non-flooded regions. The model has been tested with SAR flood images of known geographical region as well as remote geographical region. The proposed model can be automated against the input SAR sensor image and corresponding DEM of the respective SAR scene of any part of the world.     

Geochemical evolution of the Mangalwar Complex,Aravalli Craton,NW India:Insights from elemental and Nd-isotope geochemistry of the basement gneisses

The Banded Gneissic Complex(BGC) of the Aravalli Craton is divided into BGC-I and BGC-Ⅱ; the BGC-Ⅱ(central Rajasthan) is comprised of the Sandmata Complex and the Mangalwar Complex. We report elemental and Nd-isotope geochemistry of basement gneisses of the Mangalwar Complex and constrain its origin and evolution. Geochemically, the basement gneisses have been classified as low-SiO_2 gneisses(LSG) and high-SiO_2 gneisses(HSG). Both the LSG and HSG are potassic, calc-alkaline and peraluminous in nature. The LSG are enriched in incompatible(K, Sr, Ba, large ion lithophile elements) and compatible elements(MgO, Cr, and Ni). They display fractionated rare earth element patterns(avg.La_N/Yb_N=12.1)with small Eu-anomaly(δEu=0.9), and exhibit negative anomalies of Nb and Ti in primitive mantlenormalized multi-element diagram. In terms of Nd-isotope geochemistry, the LSG are characterized by_(εNd)(t)=4.2 and depleted mantle model age of 3.3 Ga. To account for these geochemical characteristics we propose a three-stage petrogenetic model for the LSG:(1) fluids released from dehydration of subducting slab metasomatised the mantle-wedge;(2) the subducting slab underwent slab-breakoff causing upwelling and decompression melting of the asthenosphere during waning stage of subduction; and(3)upwelling asthenosphere provided the requisite heat for partial melting of the metasomatised mantlewedge leading to generation of the LSG parental magma. Asthenospheric upwelling also contributed in the LSG petrogenesis which is evident from its high Mg#(avg. 0.53). The LSG formed in this way are contemporary and chemically akin to sanukitoids of the BGC-I and Archean sanukitoids reported elsewhere. This provides a basis to consider the LSG as a part of the BGC-I. Contrary to the LSG, the HSG are depleted in compatible elements(MgO=avg. 1.1 wt.%; Cr=avg. 8 ppm; Ni=avg. 6 ppm) but enriched in incompatible elements(Sr=avg. 239 ppm, Ba=avg. 469 ppm). Its_(εNd)(t) values vary from-9.5 to-5.4.These chemical features of the HSG are akin to potassic granitoids found elsewhere. In this backdrop, we propose that the HSG suite of the Mangalwar Complex was derived from re-melting(partial) of an older crust(TTG?) occurring within the BGC-Ⅱ.     

Integrated geophysical and geological studies for mineral prospecting in Betul-Chhindwara belt (BCB), Central India

Integrated study combining high resolution electrical resistivity tomography and time domain induced polarization was carried out in Betul-Chhindwara belt Madhya Pradesh, Central India in order to evaluate and delineate the polymetallic sulphide mineralization, its nature, type of deposit and depth. On interpretation of the models results clear cut anomalies revealed showing chargeability ～2 to 54 mV/V up to a maximum depth of 131m. This range of chargeability signify signature of metallic conductor. Nevertheless the basement rock is clearly mapped, showing substantial resistivity contrast. In addition detailed analysis of the integrated results from geology, geochemistry and Scanning Electron Microscope–Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy resulted from in situ rock samples shows good correlation with resistivity and IP results. This integrated study confirms the presence of conducting sulphide mineral ore body and the results and findings need test drilling at the geophysical anomalous site(s) to confirm the depth persistence and evaluate the metallic conductor.