Paleomagnetism of the deccan traps in the western ghats near Poona (India)

Abstract

Wensink, H. and Klootwijk, C.T., 1971. Paleomagnetism of the Deccan Traps in the Western Chats near Poona, India. Tectonophysics, 11: 175-190. Paleomagnetic results are presented from a study of basalts of the Deccan Traps near Poona, India. The traps have an Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene age. In five separate sections a total of circa 600 samples were collected from 97 lava flows, both by drilling and by hand-sampling. All samples were subjected to partial progressive a.c. demagnetization procedures and were measured with astatic magnetometers. The virtual magnetic pole computed from the mean value of the characteristic magnetizations is located at 34.5’N and 76.4OE with dp = 3.4’ and dm = 5.1’. Apart from the uppermost flows in three of the sections, the sequence of basalts has a reversed magnetic polarity. A northerly drift of the Indian subcontinent during the period of the Deccan volcanic activity seems likely.