Abstract:
The NW Himalaya (30°– 33°N, 76°–80°E) originated due to the
continuing India-Eurasia continental convergence since Cenozoic time (~55
Ma) is largely believed to be multifaceted tectonic processes including
earthquakes, landslides and other natural occurring disasters in different times,
some on annual basis and others at unpredictable times . The complexity in the
geodynamic evolution of the Himalaya region had experienced series of
earthquakes of which 553 number of the earthquakes having an intensity range
from II to X on Modified Mercelli (MM scale) occurred in the study region
(30°– 33°N, 76°–80°E) in the last 50 years. This NW Himalaya region
covering the two major states especially Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh of
Northern India is placed in Seismic zone 4 and Seismic zone 5 in the hazard
zonation map of India. Therefore the complexity involving different intensity
of earthquakes, periodic seismic tremors reveal the continuous active tectonic
process has been operational over the entire region covering an area of
1,09,156 sq. km. The present study using a combined geophysical techniques
of both gravity and seismological tools is an attempt to unravel secrets of
active tectonism. This research based on the methodological advantage of
uninterrupted monitoring of active geophysical data, attained by the national
institute of global importance, WIHG, Dehradun, is to support geophysical
research investigations to a better academic and research.
