Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of the Bhuban succession,Surma Group,Tripura-Mizoram accretionary belt

A 1355 m thick Bhuban sequence exposed along Tuirial section in the Aizawl district, Mizoram has been studied for magnetostratigraphic and rock magnetic attributes. The study reveals mono-mineral nature of the rocks with magnetite in the range of Stable Single Domain (SSD) showing the most favourable mineralogy to produce authentic (Natural Remanent Magnetization) NRM directions. Using routine demagnetization methods we reveal a total of 7 normal magneto-zones in the studied part of the Tuirial section. Correlation of the observed polarity with GPTS gives ages ∼12.5 Ma to ∼8 Ma. A notable increase in the rate of sedimentation at ∼9.5 Ma (∼750 m level in the section) indicates facies change from turbidite like sequence to pro-delta system. Detailed sedimentologic work is under progress to relate the magnetostratigraphy to understand some of the basin evolutionary processes.