The Rajmahal Traps is a volcanic igneous province in Eastern India, covering the parts of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Meghalaya. The Rajmahal Hills of Jharkhand is the type area of this province. Multiple layers of solidified lava made the 608-metre-thick (1,995 ft) Rajmahal Traps which are dipping 2–5° towards the north-east. Individual layers vary in thickness from less than one metre (3 ft 3 in) to more than 70 metres (230 ft).[1]
These volcanic rocks were formed from the eruptions over the Kerguelen hotspot in the early Cretaceous.[2] The similarity between the geochemical data of Rajmahal volcanos and lavas of the Kerguelen Plateau confirms this. According to plate tectonics, the Indian subcontinent was over this hot spot during the Cretaceous Period.
The original lava flow covered an area of nearly 4,100 km2 (1,600 sq mi). Below the Bengal basin the flows cover 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi).[3]
The western boundary of the Rajmahal Traps is faulted and down-thrown towards the east. The eastern boundary of this trap has a North-South trending, fault-controlled basement. This basement connects the Purnea basin of the Ganga valley with the Bengal basin. These faulted contacts, along with the Damodar Gondwana graben, form a triple junction at the mouth of the Bengal basin. The traps evolved along the then eastern continental margin of India, following rifting of Gondwanaland. Over the epochs, the upper part of the lava deformed in a cold, brittle fashion and formed graben structures.[3]
Fossils
The Intertrappean Beds contain an assemblage of Lower Cretaceousplant fossils. The assemblage includes Cladophlebis indica, Dictyozamites indicus, Taeniopteris spatulata, and Brachyphyllum rhombium.
^ abValdiya, K. S. (2010). The Making of India, Geodynamic Evolution. Macmillan Publishers India Ltd. p. 323. ISBN978-0230-32833-4.
^Courtillot, Vincent. Evolutionary Catastrophes: The Science of Mass Extinctions. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1999; p. 95.
^ abSingh, A. P.; Niraj Kumar; Bijendra Singh (December 2004). "Magmatic underplating beneath the Rajmahal Traps: Gravity signature and derived 3-D configuration". Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth Planet. Sci.). 113 (4): 759. Bibcode:2004InEPS.113..759S. doi:10.1007/BF02704035. S2CID 129952630. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
January 29, 2023
rajmahal, traps, volcanic, igneous, province, eastern, india, covering, parts, jharkhand, west, bengal, meghalaya, rajmahal, hills, jharkhand, type, area, this, province, multiple, layers, solidified, lava, made, metre, thick, which, dipping, towards, north, e. The Rajmahal Traps is a volcanic igneous province in Eastern India covering the parts of Jharkhand West Bengal and Meghalaya The Rajmahal Hills of Jharkhand is the type area of this province Multiple layers of solidified lava made the 608 metre thick 1 995 ft Rajmahal Traps which are dipping 2 5 towards the north east Individual layers vary in thickness from less than one metre 3 ft 3 in to more than 70 metres 230 ft 1 View of Rajmahal Hills Contents 1 Genesis 2 Lithology 3 Structural evolution 4 Fossils 5 See also 6 ReferencesGenesis EditThese volcanic rocks were formed from the eruptions over the Kerguelen hotspot in the early Cretaceous 2 The similarity between the geochemical data of Rajmahal volcanos and lavas of the Kerguelen Plateau confirms this According to plate tectonics the Indian subcontinent was over this hot spot during the Cretaceous Period The original lava flow covered an area of nearly 4 100 km2 1 600 sq mi Below the Bengal basin the flows cover 200 000 km2 77 000 sq mi 3 Lithology EditThe Rajmahal volcanics are predominantly tholeiitic basalt quartz tholeiite olivine tholeiite and alkali basalt The Intertrappean Beds are composed of sedimentary rock such as siltstone claystone and shale 1 Structural evolution EditThe western boundary of the Rajmahal Traps is faulted and down thrown towards the east The eastern boundary of this trap has a North South trending fault controlled basement This basement connects the Purnea basin of the Ganga valley with the Bengal basin These faulted contacts along with the Damodar Gondwana graben form a triple junction at the mouth of the Bengal basin The traps evolved along the then eastern continental margin of India following rifting of Gondwanaland Over the epochs the upper part of the lava deformed in a cold brittle fashion and formed graben structures 3 Fossils EditThe Intertrappean Beds contain an assemblage of Lower Cretaceous plant fossils The assemblage includes Cladophlebis indica Dictyozamites indicus Taeniopteris spatulata and Brachyphyllum rhombium See also EditDeccan Traps RajmahalReferences Edit a b Valdiya K S 2010 The Making of India Geodynamic Evolution Macmillan Publishers India Ltd p 323 ISBN 978 0230 32833 4 Courtillot Vincent Evolutionary Catastrophes The Science of Mass Extinctions Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1999 p 95 a b Singh A P Niraj Kumar Bijendra Singh December 2004 Magmatic underplating beneath the Rajmahal Traps Gravity signature and derived 3 D configuration Proc Indian Acad Sci Earth Planet Sci 113 4 759 Bibcode 2004InEPS 113 759S doi 10 1007 BF02704035 S2CID 129952630 Retrieved 8 March 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rajmahal Traps amp oldid 1057077947, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
