印度与欧亚板块碰撞以来东喜马拉雅构造结的演化

在野外填图,构造观察及前人研究的基础上,本文识别并描述了东喜马拉雅构造结中的推覆断裂、正断裂及走滑断裂、背斜(形)和向斜(形)等构造类型,讨论了这些构造位置及与印度板块挤入,印支地块旋转的关系,还探讨了东喜马拉雅构造结对印度板块持续向北推挤下的特殊应变调节方式。在印度大陆部分,东喜马拉雅构造结由3个向外逐渐变新的构造结组成,即北东向的南迦巴瓦峰复式背斜、北西向的桑复式向斜及北东向的阿萨母复式向斜。上述3个构造结是协调印度板块的挤入、喜马拉雅弧的扩展及印支地块的旋转的构造。在欧亚大陆内部的冈底斯岛弧,在派区及阿尼桥走滑断裂协调下,高喜马拉雅结晶岩的基底挤入冈底斯岛弧内部,在大拐弯顶端形成向上的挤出构造。在南迦巴瓦峰构造结的北西侧,由于掀斜式抬升及重力滑动,使得冈底斯盖层与结晶基底脱耦,上盘盖层沿东久向北西方向滑动。在南迦巴瓦峰构造结北东侧,由于印支地块的挤出和旋转,形成一系列的北西向走滑断裂,如实皆断裂、嘉黎—高黎贡断裂、澜沧江断裂及红河断裂等。     

Thermo-mechanical structure of the southern part of the Indian Shield and its relevance to Precambrian basin evolution

The thermal and mechanical structures of the southern part of the Precambrian Indian Shield have been estimated using available heat flow data and shear stress profiles from olivine rheology. These and other geological, geochronological and geophysical data including deep seismic studies (DSS) profiles of Proterozoic Cuddapah basin on South Indian Shield, are utilized to examine thermal models for the evolution of Precambrian intracratonic, platform basins on the Archean lithosphere of Indian Shield. Evidence of mantle perturbations and cycles of thermal events are documented to be important in the Cuddapah basin's evolution. Haxby et al.'s (1976) thermal model has been shown to explain the Cuddapah basin's flexuring and magnitude of subsidence.     

Geodynamic evolution and crustal growth of the central Indian Shield: Evidence from geochemistry of gneisses and granitoids

The rare earth element patterns of the gneisses of Bastar and Bundelkhand are marked by LREE enrichment and HREE depletion with or without Eu anomaly. The spidergram patterns for the gneisses are characterized by marked enrichment in LILE with negative anomalies for Ba, P and Ti. The geochemical characteristics exhibited by the gneisses are generally interpreted as melts generated by partial melting of a subducting slab. The style of subduction was flat subduction, which was most common in the Archean. The rare earth patterns and the multi-element diagrams with marked enrichment in LILE and negative anomalies for Ba, P and Ti of the granitoids of both the cratons indicate interaction between slab derived melts and the mantle wedge. The subduction angle was high in the Proterozoic. Considering the age of emplacement of the gneisses and granitoids that differs by ∼ 1 Ga, it can be assumed that these are linked to two independent subduction events: one during Archaean (flat subduction) that generated the precursor melts for the gneisses and the other during the Proterozoic (high angle subduction) that produced the melts for the granitoids. The high values of Mg #, Ni, Cr, Sr and low values of SiO₂ in the granitoids of Bastar and Bundelkhand cratons compared to the gneisses of both the cratons indicate melt-mantle interaction in the generation of the granitoids. The low values of Mg#, Ni, Cr, Sr and high values of SiO₂ in the gneisses in turn overrules such melt-mantle interaction.     

Insight into the nature of Indian crust underthrusting the Himalaya

ABSTRACT The nature of the Indian crust underthrusting the Himalaya may be studied in xenoliths within Ordovician granites in the external part of the Himalaya. These peraluminous S-type granites have travelled for c . 200 km in the Main Central (or related) thrust. The granites and xenoliths sample Indian basement now buried beneath the High Himalayan thrust pile. In low-strain granites the xenoliths reveal polyphase tectonite fabrics older than the fabrics in the country rocks. Most xenoliths show greenschist/lower amphibolite facies assemblages; none is typical granulite facies of the Indian Shield. Therefore, the portion of the Indian crust underthrusting the Himalaya may be early/middle Proterozoic reworked Indian Shield, as in peninsular India. Alternatively reworking may be assigned to the Pan-African (late Proterozoic) orogeny. This prospect is raised by recent work in East Antarctica but evidence in the Himalaya is rather ambiguous. If confirmed, a Pan-African event calls for reassessment of the geological history of the Himalayan region, particularly with respect to the placing of India in Gondwanaland.     

Late Permian and Early Triassic evolution of the Northern Indian margin: carbon isotope and sequence stratigraphy

Abstract

The Northern part of Great-India underwent an early rifting phase in the late Paleozoic, just at the end of the large scale Gondwanian glaciation. The beginning of the rifting processes is marked by large hiatus and discontinuities (para- conformities) between the early or middle Paleozoic sedimentary succession and the discontinuous middle-late Permian Traps and transgressive sediments. The Northern Indian passive margin consists of the present High and Lower Himalaya and a small part of the Indian craton and their sedimentary cover. The Permian rift shoulder is located in the Higher Himalaya, with part being in the underthrusted Lower Himalaya. The rim basin (landward of the shoulder) is well developed in the Pottawar- Salt Range area. From the rifting to the beginning of the drifting stages (early late Permian to late early Triassic time), the sedimentary evolution is characterised by three transgressive- regressive (T-R) second order cycles, two in the late Permian and one in the early Triassic. The break-up of the rift occurred during the second cycle (late Dzhulfian).

In the Salt Range area, these three T-R cycles have been subdivided in eight third order sequences, five sequences for the upper Permian and three for the lower Triassic.

At the end of Permian, hiatuses, gaps and local erosion of part of the margin are direct consequences of a first order relative sea-level fall; this is also the time of the largest extinction event of the Phanerozoic that deeply affected the carbonate productivity and the stratal patterns. With the following worldwide sea-level rise, a rapid and large scale transgression occurred in the early Triassic, well dated and recorded on the whole margin. High rate thermal subsidence gave way to generalized pelagic deposits about 2 My after the transgression.

Profiles of whole rock inorganic carbon and oxygen isotopes from Guryul Ravine and Palgham sections in Kashmir, Nammal Gorge and Landu sections in Trans Indus Ranges (Pakistan), Thini Chu section in Kali Gandaki Valley, Central Nepal are presented in connection with the sequence stratigraphic analysis. The upper Permian record of high positive δ¹³C values are closely correlated with the second order T-R cycles and the third order sequences. The results presented in this study confirm the drastic drop of δ¹³C from the high positive values that characterised the upper Permian to lower values in the lower Triassic time. Stratigraphic correlation problems in the lower Triassic using carbon isotope geochemistry are briefly discussed. A positive δ¹³C excursion of 4–5% near the Smithian - Spathian substages boundary is observed for the first time. The δ¹⁸O values of samples from all the sections display major variations suggesting that the oxygen isotope record has been significantly affected by meteoric diagenesis, deep burial diagenesis or/and monsoon signature.     

Long wavelength magnetic anomalies from the lithosphere: Indian shield and Himalaya

A few long-range airborne magnetic profiles flown at an altitude of 7.5 km a.s.l. across the Indian shield are analysed and interpreted in terms of magnetization in the lower crust. The wavelengths of the crustal anomalies are in the range of 51–255 km and this is used to separate them from signals originating at shallow depths. Spectral analysis of these profiles provided a maximum depth of 34–41 km for the long-wavelength anomalies and 9–10 km for the shallow sources identified as Mohorovic̆ić discontinuity and the basement respectively. The magnetic “high” recorded in satellite observations over the Indian shield is interpreted as due to a bulge of 3–4 km in the Moho under the Godovari graben, with a magnetization of 200 nT in the direction of the Earth's present-day magnetic field. Similarly the magnetic lows observed over the Himalaya are interpreted in terms of thickening of the granitic part of the crust from 18 to 23.5 km with a magnetization contrast of 200 nT in the direction of the Earth's present-day magnetic field.     

The crystalline axis of the Himalaya: The Indian shield and continental drift

The Great Himalayan Range and the Central Crystalline Axis are two different units. The Axis came into existence much before the Himalayan orogeny and formed a barrier between the Tethys and the Himalayan geosynclines. Observations indicate that its existence is not a consequence of continental drift. Geological records show that the Indian shield was not involved in the continental drift to the extent postulated in the drift hypothesis.     

The evolution of the Precambrian Shield of Greenland

The Archaean gneiss block of Greenland is made up of gneisses, amphibolites, anorthositic rocks and minor supracrustals. It contains the oldest crustal rocks yet recorded on earth. The Archaean gneiss block is bordered to the north and to the south by Proterozoic mobile belts. The Nagssugtoqidian and Rinkian mobile belts to the north, differentiated on the basis of differences in the tectonic development, consist mainly of reworked Archaean rocks. Early Proterozoic supracrustal rocks are prominent in the Rinkian mobile belt, where they overlie the Archaean basement. The Ketilidian mobile belt to the south consists mainly of Proterozoic supracrustal rocks and granites. After renewed denudation late Proterozoic supracrustal rocks were deposited in North and South Greenland where they are associated with large amounts of late Proterozoic intrusive rocks.

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Zusammenfassung Das Archaische Kraton Grönlands ist aus Gneisen, Amphiboliten, anorthositischen und untergeordneten Suprakrustal-Gesteinen aufgebaut. Es enthält die ältesten bis jetzt gefundenen krustalen Gesteine. Das Archaische Kraton ist gegen Norden und gegen Süden von Proterozoischen Orogenen begrenzt. Die Nagssugtoqidischen und Rinkischen Orogene gegen Norden, die sich durch ihre verschiedene tektonische Entwicklung unterschieden, bestehen hauptsächlich aus aufgearbeiteten Archaischen Gesteinen. Früh-Proterozoische Suprakrustal-Gesteine spielen eine wichtige Rolle im Rinkischen Orogen, wo sie das Archaische Grundgebirge überlagern. Gegen Süden besteht das Ketilidische Orogen hauptsächlich aus Proterozoischen Suprakrustal-Gesteinen und Graniten. Nach erneuerter Denudation wurden spätproterozoische Suprakrustal-Gesteine in Nord- und Südgrönland abgelagert. Diese sind assoziiert mit bedeutenden Mengen von spätproterozoischen Intrusivgesteinen.

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Résumé Le socle archéen du Groenland est composé principalement de gneiss, d'amphibolites et d'anorthosites avec accessoirement des roches supracrustales. Dans ce socle se trouvent les roches les plus âgées de l'écorce terrestre trouvées jusqu'à présent. Au nord et au sud, le socle archéen est flanqué par des ceintures orogéniques protérozoïques. Au nord on trouve le Nagssugtoqidien et le Rinkien qui ont des styles tectoniques différents, et sont composés principalement de roches archéennes transformées. Dans le Rinkien les roches supracrustales du début du Protérozoique jouent un rôle important; elles y recouvrent les gneiss archéens. Au sud du socle archéen, la ceinture orogénique du Kétilidien est composée principalement de roches supracrustales et de granite protérozoïques. Après une période de dénudation intense, des sédiments et des laves d'âge protérozoïque tardif se sont déposées gans le nord et le sud du Groenland en association avec d'abondantes roches intrusives.

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A Geotransect in the Central Indian Shield,across the Narmada-Son Lineament and the Central Indian Suture

This paper reports on a geotransect in the central Indian shield along a 100 km wide NW-SE corridor between Hirapur and Rajnandgaon. This corridor has been selected based on two seismic profiles—a 235 km long seismic-refraction/wide-angle-reflection profile between Hirapur and Mandla and a 130 km long coincident deep-reflection/refraction profile between Seoni and Kalimati. Since the geologic, gravity, magnetic, and heat-flow data are available up to Rajnandgaon, the second part of the corridor has been extended by another 80 km in the absence of seismic data. From northwest to southeast, the transect corridor covers different tectonic units of the Late Archean to Mesoproterozoic Bundelkhand craton, the Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic Satpura mobile belt, the Middle Archean to Mesoproterozoic Kotri-Dongargarh mobile belt, and the Neoproterozoic Bastar craton.

The seismic results in the Bundelkhand craton show lower crustal velocity values at a very shallow depth; these data have now been interpreted as a lower-crustal intrusive body that is present throughout the Bundelkhand craton in the lower crust at depths of 23 to 25 km. Combined interpretation of seismic travel times with the gravity data indicate the presence of a local magmatic body at mid-crustal depth in the Satpura mobile belt. The crust-mantle boundary is at depths varying between 40 and 44 km.

The seismic-reflection data set identifies the presence of a suture at the Satpura mobile belt/ Kotri-Dongargarh mobile belt boundary. A well-defined Moho offset and a pattern of adjacent fabrics, each characterized by dips toward each other, mark tectonically imbricated crust on opposite sides of the suture.     

Geologic and tectonic evolution of the Himalaya before and after the India-Asia collision

The geology and tectonics of the Himalaya has been reviewed in the light of new data and recent studies by the author. The data suggest that the Lesser Himalayan Gneissic Basement (LHGB) represents the northern extension of the Bundelkhand craton, Northern Indian shield and the large scale granite magmatism in the LHGB towards the end of the Palæoproterozoic Wangtu Orogeny, stabilized the early crust in this region between 2-1.9 Ga. The region witnessed rapid uplift and development of the Lesser Himalayan rift basin, wherein the cyclic sedimentation continued during the Palæoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic. The Tethys basin with the Vaikrita rocks at its base is suggested to have developed as a younger rift basin (～ 900 Ma ago) to the north of the Lesser Himalayan basin, floored by the LHGB. The southward shifting of the Lesser Himalayan basin marked by the deposition of Jaunsar-Simla and Blaini-Krol-Tal cycles in a confined basin, the changes in the sedimentation pattern in the Tethys basin during late Precambrian-Cambrian, deformation and the large scale granite activity (～ 500 ± 50 Ma), suggests a strong possibility of late Precambrian-Cambrian Kinnar Kailas Orogeny in the Himalaya. From the records of the oceanic crust of the Neo-Tethys basin, subduction, arc growth and collision, well documented from the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone north of the Tethys basin, it is evident that the Himalayan region has been growing gradually since Proterozoic, with a northward shift of the depocentre induced by N-S directed alternating compression and extension. During the Himalayan collision scenario, the 10–12km thick unconsolidated sedimentary pile of the Tethys basin (TSS), trapped between the subducting continental crust of the Indian plate and the southward thrusting of the oceanic crust of the Neo-Tethys and the arc components of the Indus-Tangpo collision zone, got considerably thickened through large scale folding and intra-formational thrusting, and moved southward as the Kashmir Thrust Sheet along the Panjal Thrust. This brought about early phase (M1) Barrovian type metamorphism of underlying Vaikrita rocks. With the continued northward push of the Indian Plate, the Vaikrita rocks suffered maximum compression, deformation and remobilization, and exhumed rapidly as the Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC) during Oligo-Miocene, inducing gravity gliding of its Tethyan sedimentary cover. Further, it is the continental crust of the LHGB that is suggested to have underthrust the Himalaya and southern Tibet, its cover rocks stacked as thrust slices formed the Himalayan mountain and its decollement surface reflected as the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT), in the INDEPTH profile.     

New paleomagnetic constraints on rift basin evolution in the northern Himalaya mountains

The late Cenozoic sediments in the rift basins in the northern Himalaya Mountains document important information about the uplift and deformation of the most active tectonic region in the Tibetan Plateau. However, these sediments have not been precisely dated, hindering our ability to address the basin development and termination associated with a series of uplifts in the southern Tibetan Plateau. Here, we report a detailed magnetostratigraphic study on the fluvio - lacustrine sedimentary sequence of the Dati Formation bearing abundant Hipparion forstenae fossils in the Dati Basin in the northern frontal region of the Himalaya Mountains. The 195 m – thick section yielded six normal and seven reversed polarity zones that correlate well with Chrons C3An.1r to C4r.2r of the geomagnetic polarity time scale, constraining the section age to ~8.6 – ~6.2 Ma. Together with the magnetostratigraphic results from other rift basins in the region, these results indicate that the horizons bearing the Hipparion fossils were deposited during the age interval of 7.1–6.5 Ma in the northern Himalaya Mountains. The regional tectonic activity and comprehensive magnetostratigraphic and sedimentologic comparisons suggest that the evolution of the rift basins in the northern Himalaya Mountains has involved three major stages since the late Cenozoic, i.e., (1) ~10.0–8.0 Ma, onset of the basins with fan delta facies; (2) ~8.0–3.0 Ma, expansion of the basins with mainly lacustrine facies; (3) ~3.0–1.7 Ma, shrinking and termination of the basins with alluvial fans. The basin evolutionary history indicates an accelerated tectonic uplift of the Himalaya Mountains at ~10.0 Ma, and two deformational events at ~3.0 Ma and at ~1.7 Ma.     

Elemental variations in glacier cryoconites of Indian Himalaya and Spitsbergen,Arctic

Cryoconite samples were collected from two different climatic domains i.e., the Sutri Dhaka glacier, western Himalaya India and Svalbard glaciers, the Spitsbergen, Arctic, to understand the elemental source and elemental deposition patterns. The data of geochemical analysis suggest that the Himalayan cryoconite samples accumulate higher concentrations as compared to the cryoconite samples of the Arctic glaciers. The concentration of lithophile elements (Cs, Li, Rb and U) was recorded higher in the cryoconite holes of the Himalayas, especially, in the lower to the higher parts of the glacier, whereas, lower concentrations were recorded in the Arctic samples. Chalcophile elements in the Himalayan cryoconites are enriched in As and Bi while the Arctic cryoconite samples show a higher concentration of Bi, Pb and As. The higher concentrations are responsible for influencing the ecosystem and in human health related issues. Siderophile elements (Co, Fe, Mn and Ni) show high concentrations in the Himalayan samples, whereas, the Arctic samples show minor variations and low elemental concentration in these elements, respectively. In addition, a few elements, such as Ag, Mg, and Ca show higher concentration in the Himalayan glacier samples. Ca also occurs in high concentrations in Arctic glacier samples. R-mode factor analysis of the Himalayas (Arctic) samples indicate that the elements are distributed in four (three) factors, explaining 89% (90%) of the variance in their elemental distribution. The Factor 1 suggests statistically significant positive loadings for most of the lithophile, chalcophile and siderophile elements of the “Himalayan” and the Arctic cryoconite samples. The sample-wise factor score distribution shows a considerable variation in the sampling locations along the glaciers of both the regions. Factors 2 and 3, demonstrate insignificant loading for most of the elements, except statistically significant positive loading in some of the elements of the both, Himalayan and Arctic “cryoconites”. The higher elemental concentration in the cryoconites of the Himalayan region may be an indicator of the natural processes and/or attributed to the rapid industrialization in the Asian countries.     

Some aspects of the Krol formation of the Himalaya,India

The Lower Krol sediments consist of intercalations of dolomite with shales in the marginal areas (Solan and Nainital), while limestones are interbedded with marls in the central part of the basin (Massoorie). The Upper Krols are largely composed of dolomites with subordinate limestones and shales.The non-carbonate detrital fraction is dominated by quartz with minor amounts of orthoclase, microcline and plagioclase feldspars. Illite and chlorite constitute the dominant clay minerals, lesser amounts of corrensite and kaolinite are sometimes present. An eastward increase in illite and decrease in chlorite has been ascribed to the supply and distribution of the terrigenum.Zirconium, rubidium, strontium, zinc, nickel and manganese were determined by X-ray fluorescence. Early diagenetic dolomites contain Sr, Zn, Ni and Mn in trace amounts, while the late diagenetic dolomites are characterized by an absence of these elements. The posttectonic dolomites are unusually rich in iron, manganese and sometimes in zinc.Authigenic formation of alkali feldspars, chlorite, illite, quartz and pyrite is not uncommon. The feldspars appear to have formed at early and late diagenetic stages. Potash feldspars dominate over albite in association with dolomite, whereas albite tends to be more common in the limestones.The Krol sedimentation seems to have started in a shallow coastal lagoon behind a barrier beach, upwards changing into tidal-flat deposits.     

Geothermal evolution of the evaporite-bearing sequences of the Lesser Himalaya, India

Neoproterozoic evaporites occurring in the western part of the Lesser Himalaya in India, coeval to Pakistan, Iran and Oman evaporites, were investigated in order to understand the degree of metamorphism in them and in associated carbonates. The evaporite-bearing succession occurs in association of phyllite, quartzite and carbonate near the Main boundary Thrust. In order to learn the details about the burial history of these evaporite rocks, the Kübler illite crystallinity index (KI) was measured from the illite peaks of the clay minerals separated from the evaporite rocks and it indicated that this section has reached a maximum temperature up to ~300°C. Microthermometric measurements on fluid inclusions present in the associated dolomite show range of homogenization temperatures (Th), from 220 to 280°C, well within the temperature range of anchizone metamorphism. Additionally, dolomite shows a highly negative δ¹⁸O signature (mean, −15.5‰_PDB), which is more likely related to diagenetic overprint from deep burial conditions rather than original precipitation from ¹⁸O-depleted seawater. The evaporites (sulfates and chloride) probably were transformed many times after their precipitation, but they have retained only the features developed during last one or two phases of alteration and deformation as they are continuously susceptible to minor changes in temperatures and stresses. The final temperature range of 42–78°C in sulfates and chloride gives thermal approximation estimate that is not in concordance with the thermal history of the basin and are likely related to conversion of anhydrite into gypsum and recrystallization of halite during exhumation. Highly negative oxygen isotopic composition, homogenization temperatures and KI values equivalent to a high anchizone metamorphism suggest a burial depth of ~10 km for these terminal Neoproterozoic evaporite-bearing sequences of the Lesser Himalaya.     

Implications of pre-mesozoic orogeny in the geological evolution of the Himalaya and Indo-Gangetic Plains

An integrated geological analysis of the Himalaya and Indo-Gangetic Plains demonstrates that the Great Vindhyan Basin incorporating large parts of these morphotectonic units were uplifted into an uneven landmass due to the Pre-Mesozoic orogenic cycle. This uneven landmass was eroded off largely during a considerable part of the Devonian and Carboniferous thereby causing partial absence of sedimentary sequences of these periods except in parts of the Tethys Himalaya. The Late Paleozoic epeirogenic movements brought about renewed sedimentation in the Lesser and Tethys Himalayas in the Krol and Tethys Basins, respectively, which was terminated by the Himalayan Orogeny during Late Cretaceous—Early Eocene.     

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.     

Shallowing of mafic crust and seismic instability in the high velocity Indian Shield

Indian shield has been frequented by number of large and moderate magnitude damaging earthquakes since historical times, including the recent disastrous ones like Latur Mw 6.3 in 1993, Jabalpur Mw 5.8 in 1997 and Bhuj Mw 7.7 in 2001. Seismogenesis of these events is still not understood well. Detailed study of nine such earthquake localities (as appended in Table 1), indicates quite high P- and S- velocities (6.2–6.7 km/s and 3.65–3.90 km/s respectively) at a shallow depth of almost surface to six kilometers. These seismogenic regions appear to be in a state of continuous uplift and erosion since geological times, which brought mafic (granulitic/amphibolitic) crust to significantly shallow levels in which stresses are accummulated due to ongoing local uplift and a high input of heatflow from the mantle. These stresses act over and above to the regional compressive stresses generated by India-Eurasia collision. As against common belief, the role played by fluids in nucleation of such earthquakes, in the relatively denser and high velocity Indian crust (compared to the other global stable continental regions), appears limited.