Scientists from Hyderabad’s National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) have revealed a historic collision between India and East Antarctica over a billion years ago. Their findings, including a hidden ridge in Andhra Pradesh’s Darsi and Addanki regions, suggest significant geological shifts. Seismic data reprocessing uncovered Proterozoic sediment layers, shedding new light on India’s eastern coast evolution. Published in the Journal of Pure and Applied Geophysics, this research enriches the understanding of ancient Indian subcontinent ties to Antarctica.
Discovery and Research Team
The NGRI team, comprising Dr. K Chandrakala, OP Pandey, Biswajit Mandal, K Renuka, and N Prem Kumar, discovered a hidden ridge beneath Andhra Pradesh’s Darsi and Addanki regions, linked to the ancient collision, indicating a tilting of the Cuddapah basin towards the south.
Seismic Data Reprocessing
By reprocessing seismic data along a 325-kilometer profile from Alampur to Ganapeswaram, the team investigated the subsurface crustal seismic structure of the north Cuddapah basin, uncovering a thin layer of alluvium underlain by Gondwana sediments and Proterozoic sedimentary layers.
Geological Insights
The study revealed extensive Proterozoic sedimentation, with both upper and lower Proterozoic Cuddapah sediments directly overlying the crystalline basement. This finding offers new insights into the geological history of India’s eastern coast during the Proterozoic era.
Significance of the Findings
These discoveries highlight the role of the Gondwana supercontinent, which included present-day South America, Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, India, Australia, and Antarctica, in the geological evolution of these regions, marking a significant contribution to the understanding of ancient geological events shaping the Indian subcontinent and its connections with Antarctica.
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