Rift and Drift Episodes of Western India since the Mesozoic Era

Rift and Drift Episodes of Western India since the Mesozoic Era: Outcrop-Based Analyses, Volume Seven covers the architecture and tectonics of volcanic passive margin of the Indian west coast, as well as on the Deccan Large Igneous Province. Detailed understanding of tectonic evolution and stress regimes of western Indian basins is necessary to this research. As such, this book aims to provide a tectonic framework, structural history and paleostress regimes of the following rift basins of Indian western margin based on outcrop-study: (i) Jaisalmer, (ii) Bikaner- Nagaur, (iii) Barmer, (iv) Cambay and (v) Kutch. The tectonic linkage amongst these basins and with the Indian west coast will also be covered.

The Mesozoic and Tertiary basins of western Indian margin have special importance in terms of their genesis and tectonic evolution. Mesozoic stratigraphy has been identified in Jaisalmer, Kutch and Barmer basins. These basins initiated as intra-cratonic rift basins during Gondwana. Episodic rifting of Africa and India resulting in separation and drifting of the Indian plate during Late Gondwana (Jurassic to Early Cretaceous), developed these basins. Inheritance of pre-existing structures played a key role in basin evolution. The Cambay and the Tertiary rifting of Barmer basin was a consequence of oblique rifting between the Seychelles micro-continent and the Indian plate, having extension direction trending ~NE.