Crustal Configuration in Northwestern Himalaya from Gravity Measurements along Kiratpur-Leh-panamik Transect

Detailed gravity measurements were carried out along Kiratpur-Manali-Leh-Panamik transect Starting from the foreland basin in the south, this 550 km long transect cuts across the entire section of the NW Himalaya, and reaches the southern foothills of the Karakorum range, in Ladakhh With GPS aided positioning, and exhaustive terrain correction applied using a digital elevation model, the data presented here are the most accurate and detailed gravity data ever published from the Himalaya A broad regiOnal isostatic gravity high aligned along the central axis of the Himalayan arc suggests domal upwarping of the converging Indian crust under the compression of collision A series of prominent gravity highs over the Indus Tsangpo Suture Zone and over the Ladakh batholith, are indicative of the presence of ultrabasic rocks WhiCh are not otherwise exposed at the surface A sharp decline of Bouguer gravity associated with a 4 m drop of geoid undulation, 50 km north of the Indus river near Leh confirms the presence of a low-density layer at around 20 km depth, Which might have orginated due to partial melting of the underlying continental crust.