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New paleomagnetic pole and magnetostratigraphy of the Cauvery Basin sediments, southern India

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Abstract

Magnetostratigraphy or magnetic polarity stratigraphy (MPS) is constructed with paleomagnetic parameters for the Campanian–Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) onshore sediment sequences of the Cauvery Basin, southern India. Twenty-nine sedimentary outcrops in the vicinity of Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu, India were studied using AF (5–150 mT) and thermal demagnetization (100–700°C). The observed remanence carrier is attributed to hematite through rock magnetic experiments. The virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) latitudes were computed using the acquired characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) directions. The mean ChRM produce Dm= 338, Im= –38, (α95=23.91°, k = 15.73, N=60). The mean VGP is estimated at 51.33°N, 292.71°E deriving a paleolatitude of 21.3°S. The constructed magnetic polarity stratigraphy (MPS) is correlated with the standard geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS). The composite MPS of these sequences comprises of 12 magnetozones (6 normal and 6 reversed events) that are corroborated with Chron C33n to Chron C30n of the GPTS. The derived paleolatitude position from the present study places Indian subcontinent at little shallow southern latitudes indicating moderately higher drift velocities during Upper Cretaceous.

Research Highlights

  • Magnetic polarity stratigraphy (MPS) is constructed with paleomagnetic parameters for the Campanian–Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) onshore sediment sequences of the Cauvery Basin, southern India.

  • The mean direction results in the declination at 338° and inclination at –38° (α95= 23.91) and the pole position at 51°N, 293°E with a paleolatitude of 21.3°S.

  • The MPS of Ariyalur Group sequences of Cauvery Basin recorded 12 magnetozones (6 normal and 6 reversed events) and correlated with GPTS of LaBrecque et al. (1977) from Chron C33n to Chron C30n.

  • The paleolatitude position highlights the higher velocities of the drift of the Indian subcontinent during Upper Cretaceous period.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks the Director CSIR-NGRI for the permission to publish these results. Prof R Nagendra is acknowledged for the support and Dr G Papanna is thanked for the help in collection of the samples. Thanks are due to two anonymous reviewers for their critical and helpful suggestions through which the manuscript is improved to greater extent and Saibal Gupta for the editorial handling. The author thanks Department of Science and Technology (Govt. of India) for the financial assistance (SR/S4/ES-271/2007).

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  1. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    M Venkateshwarlu

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  1. M Venkateshwarlu
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MV designed the research, participated in sample collection, did data processing and analysis, wrote and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to M Venkateshwarlu.

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Communicated by Saibal Gupta

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Venkateshwarlu, M. New paleomagnetic pole and magnetostratigraphy of the Cauvery Basin sediments, southern India. J Earth Syst Sci 129, 222 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01476-z

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