Structure and tectonics of the southwestern continental margin of India

Abstract

A NNW-SSE-trending graben in the inner shelf (40-60 m isobaths), a mid-shelf basement ridge (60-150 m isobaths), a shelf-margin basin (150-1000 m isobaths) and the Prathap Ridge Complex in the slope (1000-2000 m isobaths) extend as linear features along the southwestern continental margin of India between 12°20′N and 15°00′N. The basic structural framework of the margin seems to be influenced by the pre-existing Precambrian structural fabric of the continent. The mid-shelf basement ridge and the Prathap Ridge Complex are interpreted as manifestation of the rift-phase volcanism when India separated from Madagascar around 84 Ma. © 1995.