Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Proterozoic Mafic Dykes from the Southern Margin of Cuddapah Basin, India: Part 2 – Palaeomagnetism and Ar/Ar Geochronology

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Dyke Swarms:Keys for Geodynamic Interpretation

Abstract

A palaeomagnetic and 40Ar/39Ar study is reported from a suiteof 41 mafic dykes comprising a dense E-W trending swarm intruding Archaean granitic basement near the southern margin of the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin in southern India. Rockmagnetic studies define a range of mixed domain with dominant multi domain (MD) ferromagnetic carriers. Twenty four dykes exhibit stable behaviors to progressive demagnetisation and show that at least three magnetization events are represented within this swarm. Dyke groups are identified as RD (10 dykes, palaeopole at 72°S, 97°E dp/dm=4/7°), ND1 (5 dykes palaeopole at 34°N, 253°E, dp/dm = 9/12°), ND2 (4 dykes, palaeopole at 65°N, 286°E, dp/dm = 3/6°) and ID (4 dykes, palaeopole at 6°N, 336° E, dp/dm = 6/7°). These directions accord with earlier palaeomagnetic studies of the same swarm and 40 Ar/39Ar study yields apparent ages between 926 and 813 Ma for group RD and an age of 936 Ma for group ID. These age estimates are appreciably younger than sedimentation in the adjoining Cuddapah Basin and the directions of magnetisation contrast with directions in probable Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic dyke swarms from South Shield which typically have steeper inclinations. This evidence suggests that either the dykes record Early Neoproterozoic continental rifting with emplacement that did not migrate significantly upwards into the overlying supracrustal succession, or that they are of Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic age and overprinted during the Eastern Ghats (Grenville age) orogeny. The preservation of discrete magnetizations within the E-W swarm suggests that the former solution is more likely. An assessment of these and other palaeomagnetic poles from India assigned to the interval ~1,200–800 Ma shows a general accordance with apparent polar wander of the proto-Gondwana wing of the supercontinent Palaeopangea.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anand M, Gibson SA, Subbarao KV, Kelley SP, Dickin AP (2003) Early-Proterozoic melt generation processes beneath the intra-cratonic Cuddapah Basin, Southern India. J Petrol 44: 2139–2171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anjanappa K (1972) Application of Palaeomagnetism in estimating the age of the dyke swarms in Peninsular India. Curr Sci 41: 106–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Anjanappa K (1975) Palaeomagnetism and age of dolerite dykes of the Tirupati area, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, In: Recent Researches in Geology, Hindustan Publishers Co. 2: 162–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Aswathanarayana A (1964) Age of the Cuddapahs, India. Nature 193: 470–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhaskara Rao YJ, Pantulu GVC, Damodara Reddy V, Gopalan K (1995) Time of early sedimentation and volcanism in the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin, South India. In: Devaraju TC (ed) Evidence form the Rb-Sr age of Pulivendla mafic sill, Dyke swarms of Peninsular India, Geol Soc Ind Bangalore 33: 329–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharji S (1987) Lineaments and igneous episodes in the evolution of intracratonic Proterozoic basins of India. In: Saha AK (ed) Geological evolution of Peninsular India – Petrological and Structural aspects, Recent Researches in Geology, Hindustan Publ. Co. 13: 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchan KL, Mertanen S, Park RG, Pesonen LJ, Elming SA, Abrahamsen N, Bylund G (2000) Comparing the drift of Laurentia and Baltica in the Proterozoic: The importance of key palaeomagnetic poles. Tectonophysics 319: 167–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee N, Bhattacharji S (2001) Petrology, geochemistry and tectonic settings of the mafic dykes and sills associated with the evolution of the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin of south India. Proc Indian Acad Sci Earth and Plan Sci 110: 433–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford AR, Compston W (1973) The Age of the Cuddapah and Kurnool systems, South India. J Geol Soc Aust 19: 453–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalziel IWD (1991) Pacific margins of Laurentia and east Antarctica-Australia as a conjugate pair: Evidence and implications for an Eocambrian supercontinent. Geology 19: 598–601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damodara Reddy V, Anjanappa K, Prasad CVRK, Subba Reddy N (1995) Magnetic properties and chemistry of Precambrian dykes from Peninsular India. Geol Soc India Bangalore In: TC Devaraju (Ed.) Dyke swarms of Peninsular India 33: 99–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Drury SA, Holt RW (1980) The tectonic framework of the South Indian craton: A reconnaissance involving LANDSAT imagery. Tectonophysics 65: T1–T15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst RE, Srivastava RK (2008) India’s place in the Proterozoic world: Constraints from the Large Igneous Province (LIP) record. In: Srivastava RK, Sivaji C, Chalapathi Rao NV (eds) Indian Dykes: Geochemistry, Geophysics and Geochronology. Narosa Publishing House Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi: 41–56

    Google Scholar 

  • French JE, Heaman LM, Chacko T, Srivastava RK (2008) 1891–1883 Ma southern Bastar craton-Cuddapah mafic igneous events, India: A newly recognized large igneous province. Precam Res 160: 308–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goutham MR, Raghubabu K, Prasad CVRK, Subbarao KV, Damodara Reddy V (2006) A Neoproterozoic Geomagnetic field Reversal from India: Stratigraphic Significance and implication to the formation of Gondwana. J Geol Soc India 67: 221–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory LC, Meert JG, Pradham V, Pandit MK, Torsvik TH (2006) A palaeomagnetic and geochronolgic study of the Majhgawan kimberlite, India: Implications for the age of the Vindhyan Supergroup. Precam Res 149: 65–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halls HC, Kumar A, Srinivasan R, Hamilton MA (2007) Paleomagnetism and U- Pb geochronology of eastern trending dykes in the Dharwar craton, India: Feldspar clouding, radiating dyke swarms and the position of India at 2.37 Ga. Precam Res 155: 47–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halls HC, Palmer HC, Bates MP, Phinney WC (1994) Constraints on the nature of the Kapuskasing structural zone from the study of Proterozoic dyke swarms. Can J Earth Sci 31: 1182–1196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaman LM (1997) Global mafic magmatism at 2.5 Ga: Remanents of an ancient large igneous province? Geology 25: 299–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman PF (1991) Did the breakout of Laurentia turn Gondwanaland inside out? Science 252: 1409–1412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King W (1872) The Kadapa and Kurnool formations of Madras Presidency. Memoir Geol Surv India 8: 320 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnan MS (1982) The Geology of India and Burma. CBS Publications, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar A, Bhalla MS (1983) Palaeomagnetics and igneous activity of the area adjoining the south-western margin of the Cuddapah Basin, India. Geophys J Royal Astronom Soc 73: 27–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden PL (1990) A new fold test for palaeomagnetic studies. Geophys J Int 103: 163–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murty YGK, Babu Rao V, Guptasarma D, Rao JM, Rao MN, Bhattacharji S (1987) Tectonic, Petrochemical and Geophysical studies of Mafic Dyke Swarms around the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin, South India. In: Halls HC and Fahrig WF (eds) Mafic Dyke Swarms. Geol Assoc Canada Spec Paper 34: 303–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagaraja Rao BK, Rajurkar ST, Ramalingaswamy G, Ravindrababu B (1987) Stratigraphy, Structure and Evolution of the Cuddapah Basin, Memoir 6, Geol Soc India 33–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce JA, Cann JR (1973) Tectonic setting of basic volcanic rocks determined using trace element analysis. Earth Planet Sci Lett 19: 290–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piper JDA (2007) The Neoproterozoic Supercontinent Palaeopangaea. Gondwana Res 12: 202–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piper JDA (2010) Palaeopangaea in Meso-Neoproterozoic times: The palaeomagnetic evidence and implications to continental integrity, supercontinent form and Eocambrian break-up. J Geodyn 50: 191–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piper JDA (2011) SWEAT and the end of SWEAT: The Laurentia-Siberia configuration during Meso-Neoproterozoic times, International Geology Review, DOI:10.1080/00206814.2010.527679

    Google Scholar 

  • Piper JDA, Mallik SB, Bandyopadhyay G, Mondal S, Das AK (2003) Palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic study of a deeply-exposed continental crustal section: The charnockite belt of Southern India. Precam Res 121: 185–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poornachandra Rao GVS (2005) Orthogonal dykes around the Cuddapah Basin – palaeomagnetic study. J Indian Geophys Un 9: 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan VR, Meert JG, Pandit MK, Kamenov G, Gregory LC, Malone SJ (2010) India’s changing place in global Proterozoic reconstructions: A review of geochronologic constraints and palaeomagnetic poles from the Dharwar, Bundelkhand and Marwar cratons. J Geodyn 50: 224–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan VR, Pandit MK, Meert JG (2008) A cautionary note of the age of the paleomagnetic pole obtained from the Harohalli dyke swarms, Dharwar craton, southern India. In: Srivastava RK, Sivaji Ch, Chalapati Rao NV (eds) Indian Dykes: Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Geochronology. Narosa Publishing Ltd, New Delhi, India: 339–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishna T, Joseph M (1993) Proterozoic Palaeomagnetism of South Indian shield and tectonic constraints. Mem Geol Soc India 25: 321–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishna T, Joseph M (1994) Proterozoic Palaeomagnetism of the mafic dyke swarms in the high-grade region of South India. Precam Res 76: 31–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishna T, Joseph M (1996) Late Precambrian (850–800 Ma) palaeomagnetic pole for the south Indian Shield from the Harohalli alkaline dykes: Geotectonic implications for Gondwana reconstructions. Precam Res 80: 77–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishnamurty C (1993) Magnetism and Basalts. Geol Soc Ind Bangalore 26: 208

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao JM, Rao GVSP, Patil SK (1990) Geochemical and palaeomagnetic studies on the Middle Proterozoic Karimnagar mafic dyke swarm, India. In: Parker AJ, Rickwood PC, Tucker DH (eds) Mafic Dykes and Emplacement Mechanisms. Balkerma, Rotterdam: 373–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Roddick JC (1983). High precision intercalibration of 40Ar-39Ar standards. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta 47: 887–898

    Google Scholar 

  • Samson DD, Alexander EC (1987) Calibration of interlaboratory 40Ar/39Ar dating standard, MMhb-1. Chem Geol (Isotope Geosci Sec) 66: 27–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snee LW (1982) Emplacement and cooling of the Pioneer Batholith, south-western Montana [Ph.D. thesis], Ohio State University, Columbus 320 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Snee LW (2002) Argon Thermochronology of mineral deposits – A review of analytical methods, formulations, and selected applications. US Geol Sur Bull B: 2194

    Google Scholar 

  • Snee LW, Sutter JF, Kelly WC (1988) Thermochronology of economic mineral deposits: Dating the stages of mineralization at Panasqueira, Portugal, by high precision 40Ar/39 Ar age-spectrum techniques on muscovite. Econ Geol 83: 335–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staudacher TH, Jessburger EK, Dorflinger D, Kiko J (1978) A refined ultrahigh – vacuum furnace for rare-gas analysis. J Phys E Sci Instrum 11: 781–784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steiger RH, Jager E (1977) Subcommission on geochronology: Convention on the use of decay constants in geo- and cosmochronology. Earth Planet Sci Lett 36: 359–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suryanarayana KV, Anjanappa K (1975) Joint pattern and Dyke trends in the Tirupati area, Andhra Pradesh, India. Proc Ind Natl Sci Acad Part A 41: 86–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatesh AS, Poornachandra Rao GVS, Prasad NTV, Bhalla MS (1987) Palaeomagnetic and Geochemical studies on Dolerite dykes from Tamil Nadu, India. Precam Res 34: 291–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Windley BF (1995) The Evolving Continents. Wiley, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Wingate MTD, Giddings JW (2000) Age and palaeomagnetism of the Mundine Well dyke swarm, Western Australia: Implications for an Australia-Laurentia connection at 755 Ma. Precam Res 100: 335–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zachariah JK, Bhaskar Rao YJ, Srinivasan R, Gopalan K (1999) Pb, Sr, and Nd isotope systematics of Uranium mineralised stromatolitic dolomites from the Proterozoic Cuddapah Supergroup, South India: Constraints on age and Provenance. Chem Geol 162: 49–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to late C. Radhakrishnamurty for his help and suggestions in the early stage of this work. MRG and CVRKP are thankful to Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India for providing the financial assistance to carry out this study. We are grateful to Joe Meert for a review and Rajesh K. Srivastava for careful editorial advice.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dr. K.S. Krishnan Geomagnetic Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Allahabad, 221 505, India

    M.R. Goutham

  2. University Centre for Earth and Space Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500 046, India

    K.V. Subbarao

  3. AMARARAMA, Vijayawada, India

    C.V.R.K. Prasad

  4. Geomagnetism Laboratory, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZE, UK

    J.D.A. Piper

  5. Denver Argon Geochronology Laboratory, USGS, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO, 80225, USA

    D.P. Miggins

Authors
  1. M.R. Goutham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K.V. Subbarao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C.V.R.K. Prasad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J.D.A. Piper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D.P. Miggins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M.R. Goutham .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Goutham, M., Subbarao, K., Prasad, C., Piper, J., Miggins, D. (2011). Proterozoic Mafic Dykes from the Southern Margin of Cuddapah Basin, India: Part 2 – Palaeomagnetism and Ar/Ar Geochronology. In: Dyke Swarms:Keys for Geodynamic Interpretation. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12496-9_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation