Palaeo-path investigation of the lower Ajay River (India) using archaeological evidence and applied remote sensing

Numerous palaeochannels, oxbow lakes and elongated sediment fills in Eastern India, particularly along the lower Ajay River, provide a record of channel shifting during the Late Quaternary. Proper characterization of these features is useful for discussing the dynamic evolution of the river system in the Ajay-Damodar Interfluve region. Remote sensing data, archaeological evidence and sedimentology aid in reconstructing the geomorphic history of the lower Ajay River. Archaeological studies help in calculating the rate and direction of channel migration. The channel migration rate varies from 0.32 to 3.41 m/year in the study area. Bouguer gravity anomalies suggest that the rate of channel migration may be controlled by the density variations of the basement rocks. Furthermore, neotectonics activity played a significant role in the migration of Ajay River towards north-east direction.