Vertical density contrast and mapping of basement, Conrad and Moho morphologies through 2D spectral analysis of gravity data in and around Odisha, India

• Published in: Journal of Asian earth sciences 2016-07, Vol.124, p.181-190
• Main Authors: Kumar, Arbind, S. Roy, P.N., Das, L.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Complete Bouguer anomaly; Conrad and Moho discontinuities; Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB); Power spectrum
• ISSN: 1367-9120; 1878-5786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jseaes.2016.05.002

•Power spectrum analysis gave vertical direction depths for density discontinuities.•Spectral analysis gave depths of a perturbing body sources of the gravity field.•Detailed analysis reveals three horizontal discontinuities at 2.7km 8km and 14.5km•Mohorovicic discontinuity was also estimated at the depth 31km in the study region.•The overall findings are expected would help in understanding the tectonic framework. Power spectrum analysis of Complete Bouguer Anomaly (CBA) map of Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) and its surroundings in India through Two Dimensional (2D) spectral analysis has provided estimates of the ensemble average depths for the density discontinuities which represent crustal inhomogeneities. The spectral analysis method has helped to estimate the depths of a perturbing body sources which are obtained from the negative slopes of the linear relationship between the logarithmic power spectrum and the wave-numbers of the gravity field. The detailed analysis reveals three horizontal discontinuities (i) Phanerozoic sediment thickness (ii) Basement depth and (iii) Conrad discontinuity. The average thickness of Phanerozoic sediments is estimated to be 3km whereas depth of basement and Conrad discontinuity are at 7km and 14.5km respectively. Additionally Mohorovicic discontinuity also estimated at a depth of 32.8km in the study region.