Award Abstract

The research outlined in this proposal is meant to both complement and expand our current knowledge of Proterozoic paleogeography and, in particular, the supercontinents of Gondwana, Rodinia and Columbia.  Paleomagnetic data (in combination with reliable U-Pb age data) can provide evidence for the orientation of geologic features such as orogenic belts and dikes used in developing supercontinental hypotheses. Results from our proposed studies on the Indian subcontinent will be used in developing global paleogeographic models through detailed analysis of existing paleomagnetic and geochronologic data from other continents.   Our studies will provide important constraints on past climate change (including the most severe glaciations in earth history); the relationship between global continental configurations and the evolution of life in the Cambrian and mantle dynamics leading to the formation and breakup of supercontinents.  Our targets include two of the so-called Purana basins in India along with dikes intruding the Dharwar, Singhbhum and Bundelkhand cratons.

Our knowledge of the paleogeography of the earth before Pangea is problematic because we lack strong paleomagnetic (where) and geochronologic (when) data.  The proposed Precambrian supercontinents of Gondwana, Rodinia and Columbia along with the more recent Pangea hints that there may be a cyclicity to supercontinent dispersal and aggregation.  In addition, the interval of geologic time proposed for each of these supercontinents suggests links between paleogeography, evolution, climate and mineral deposits.  Our research will provide first order constraints for snowball earth climate models, the Ediacaran Cambrian radiation and the loci of non-renewable mineral deposits that typically form during continental collision and breakup.  This work will also involve minority undergraduate students (Hispanic and women), the training of graduate students and dissemination of research results to the general public via forums such as Café Scientifique and the internet.   

Research Team

Dr. Joseph Meert (PI, University of Florida): Controller
Dr. Manoj Pandit (co-PI University of Rajasthan, India): Spiritual Leader
Dr. Dhiraj Banerjee (University of Delhi, India): Supreme Council
Dr. Mondal (Bundelkhand Dykes guide; Aligarh Muslim University, India): Finder of Lost Dykes
Vimal Pradhan (Ph.D. Student, University of Florida): Defending April 2011
Candler Turner (M.S. Student, University of Florida): M.S. with a Hafnium approach
Sadie Belica (M.S. Student, University of Florida): Dementor Defender and Purveyor of Dyke
Trevor Cole (B.S. Student, Thesis University of Florida): Classical Cutter
Emma Grauerholz-Fisher (B.S. Student, University of Florida): Newbie with Attitude
Nikki Cundiff (B.S. Student, University of Florida): Graduated now at Dupont-Starke (and living in a trailer at the KOA).
Caleb Rhatigan (B.S. Student, University of Florida): Graduated now at UT Austin

What We've Done So Far

Publications associated with this proposal

1. Pradhan, V.R., Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K., Kamenov, G., Gregory, L.C. and Malone, S.J., 2010.   India's changing place in global Proterozoic reconstructions: New geochronologic constraints on key paleomagnetic poles from the Dharwar and Aravalli/Bundelkhand cratons, J. Geodynamics Special Issue, 50, 224-242, pdf of proofs.

2. Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K., Pradhan, V.R., Banks, J.C., Sirianni, R., Stroud, M., Newstead, B., Gifford, J., 2010. Precambrian Crustal Evolution of Peninsular India: A 3.0 billion year odyssey., J. Asian Earth Sciences, 39,  483-515, pdf of paper

3. Pradhan, V.R., Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K., Kamenov, G. and Mondal, E.A., Tectonic evolution if the Precambrian Bundelkhand craton, central India: Insights from paleomagnetic and geochronologic studies on the mafic dyke swarms, Precambrian Research (under review).  pdf of submission.

4. Meert, J.G., Belica, S.M.*, Pandit, M.K. and Pradhan, V.R.*, 2010. Oh My! Malani paleomagnetism again?, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts w/program, 42, 78-9.

5.  Turner, C.C.*, Meert, J.G., Kamenov, G.D., Pandit, M.K., 2010. A detrital zircon transect across the Son Valley sector of the Vindhyan Basin, India: Further constraints on basin evolution, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts w/program, 42, 78-7.

6. Pradhan, V.R.*, Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K. and Mondal, E.F., 2010. Tectonic evolution of the Precambrian Bundelkhand craton, central India: Insights from the paleomagnetic and geochronologic studies on the mafic dyke swarms, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts w/program, 42, 78-8.

7. Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K., Pradhan, V.R.*, Gregory, L.C.*, Malone, S.J.*, Torsvik, T.H., Bingen, B., 2009.  India’s changing place in global Neoproterozoic reconstructions: New geochronologic constraints on key paleomagnetic poles, Geological Society of London, Fermor Meeting, Edinburgh Scotland, 1 page abstract.

8. Meert, J.G., Pandit, M.K. and Pradhan, V.R. Kamenov, G.D., Preliminart report on the Palaeomagnetism of 1.88 Ga dykes from the Bastar and Dharwar cratons, Peninsular India, Gondwana Research (in press).  pdf of uncorrected proofs.

9. Meert, J.G., Belica, S.M., Pandit, M.K., Kamenov, G.D.,2011.  Oh My! Malani paleomagnetism again?,  Submitted to Gondwana Research.


Field Expedition #1: Description and Photos (Nov-Dec 2009)

    Our first field season was concentrated in the north-central parts of India, but stretched from the Marwar Basin in Rajasthan, to the eastern areas of the Son Valley section of the Vindhyan basin.  We also collected samples from at least two generations of Bundelkhand mafic dykes.     Our goals were four-fold; (a) Collect additional samples of mafic/felsic dykes from the Malani province to further constrain the duration of Malani magmatism (b) Collect a pilot suite of samples for paleomagnetic study in the Marwar basin of Rajasthan (Ediacaran-Cambrian age); (c) collect paleomagnetic and geochronologic samples from the Bundelkhand mafic dykes and (d) collect detrital zircon samples from the Marwar Supergroup and a long transect of Vindhyan basinal rocks. 

Bundelkhand Dyke Photos


From Left to Right: Great Dyke of Mahoba (~1.1 Ga); Older Generation Mafic dyke near Khajuraho; Small older generation dyke contact with Bundelkhand granite.
Older set of Dykes are dated to ~2.0 Ga (U-Pb zircon/baddelyite ages).

Malani Dyke Photos


From left to right: Sankra Dyke (note wind etched surface); Malani Felsic dyke; Malani mafic dike and contact zone.

Marwar/Vindhyan Photos


From Left to Right: Bhander sandstone near Great Boundary Fault; Orienting Marwar Sandstones; Ripple Marks Marwar Supergroup sandstones.

Field Expedition #2: (Nov-Dec 2010)

  Our second field season concentrated on dykes in the Dharwar craton.  This includes dykes from the Hassan, Tiptur and Kunigal Regions (west of Bangalor), dykes in the Tirupati-Chitoor region (west of Bangalore, dykes in the Anantapur-Bukkapatnam-Penukonda regions (north of Bangalore) and the dykes from Mahabubnagar region (south of Hyderabad)


From Left to Right: Hassan area kids doing the Gator Chomp! Middle Hassan aread dyke intruding gneisses; right: Tirupati area dyke


From Left to Right: Tirupati area dyke; Middle Monkey in the middle; Right; Tirupati dyke intruding gneisses.