The Lineaments and Deep Crustal Significance of Central Kerala, India: an Integrated Gravity and Magnetic Study

This book provides an insight into the deep crustal structures and the tectonic aspects of lineaments as well as their bearing on the seismicity of Central Kerala, India including the evolution of the Periyar Plateau. The Periyar plateau is the highest paleosurface (1000 m) of Kerala and is transected by many major tectonic lineaments. The geomorphic features are of long wave length (50 km) and therefore have deep crustal significance. Geological formation of high metamorphic facies namely charnockites and associated gneisses, which have a Pre-Cambrian history of exhumation from lower to mid-crustal levels and retrogression, dominate the region. Modeling of gravity profiles brings out the tectonic and structural characteristics and the evolution history of the three geomorphic units such as the low lands, mid lands and high lands (Western Ghats)of Central Kerala. The detailed magnetic study confirms some of the prominent lineaments identified by earlier workers besides bringing out a few new ones. A coordinated picture of the overall deep and shallow continental structure was generated on several aspects of the Pre-Cambrian and Phanerozoic evolution of the region.