Radioelement Distribution and Radioactive Heat Generation in the Central Gneissic Complex, Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh

The Central Gneissic Complex (CGC) in the Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh comprises the oldest Sela Group, followed by the Bomdila Group and the youngest Salari Group. The Sela Group consists of migmatite, hornblende granite gneiss, two-mica granite and profuse intrusions of tounnaline granite (Tertiary ?). Along the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Sela Group overlies the Bomdila Group consisting of augen gneiss, quartzite. quart-mica schist, marble and basic intrusive rocks. The Bomdila Group, in turn, overlies the Salari Group that comprises black shales and intrusive high-Ca granites. Radioelement (U, Th and K) contents, detennined by gamma-ray spectrometry. of 28 granitic and migmatitic samples of CGC indicate that the tourmaline granite and two-mica granite, augen gneiss have the highest U values as compared to that of others. Th content is more in the augen gneiss and hornblende gneiss than in other rock types. In case of K, two-mica granite and tourmaline granite have higher contents than the rest. Radioactive heat, computed from each ofthese radioelements, is highest in the tourmaline granite and two-mica granite, with the other rock types having low to intermediate values. The average total heat generation of CGC is of the order of 9.3 Heat Generation Units (HGU). A value of about 7 HGU is generally taken as the separating value between hot and cold crust and, hence, the higher value of 9.3 HGU for CGC points to the presence of hot crust in the Arunachal Himalaya. The radioactive heat generation and the published high heat flow values in the CGC indicate steep geothermal gradients in the area, which may help in remobilisation and subsequent precipitation/concentration of U in favourable locales.