| Abstract: | Recent work on long-period surface wave dispersion investigations and other geophysical work have shown that in the Himalayan and Tibet Plateau region the crust is extremely thick and the velocities are low: However, the upper mantle below Tibet appears to have normal velocities. Seismic Research Observatories, being established in the vicinity of Himalaya, will be extremely useful for near-source investigations due to their digital data acquisition capabilities and much larger dynamic range. Quantitative seismicity maps prepared for the Himalayan region are useful in comprehending regional tectonics. With international collaboration, Deep Seismic Sounding surveys have been successfully carried out in western Himalaya. It is inferred that the northern boundary of the Indian Plate does not lie along the Main Central Himalayan Thrust or the Indus Suture line, but falls very much north of the combined Indo-Tibetan block. Focal mechanism studies are, by and large, consistent with the northward thrusting of the Indian Plate. Conflicting results regarding the prevalence of isostasy in the Himalayan region have been obtained from gravity surveys. Geophysical investigations and observational facilities need to be intensified for a better understanding of the tectonics. |
