SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE & EVOLUTION OF NARMADA, TAPTI-PURNA BASIN & SON VALLEY, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HOMINID LOCALITY HATHNORA CENTRAL INDIA.

The SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE embodies the two Quaternary basins of tectonic origin on the two margins of Satpura Crustal Block. The Satpura block traversed by enechelon system of faults and lineaments is characterized by thinner crust (33-38 km deep, basement depth >2.5 km) with series of ENE-WSW trending gravity high (viz. Sendwa, Khandwa, Chicholi, Tikaria etc.) with amplitudes of 10-35 mgal. The chain of gravity high indicates extensive magmatism and emplacement of derivatives at shallow crustal levels. The associated Narmada South (Satpura North) fault and Satpura South Fault marking the two hinges of the Satpura block are fundamental in nature and extend to Moho level. The Narmada Quaternary basin in the north and Tapti-Purna basin in the south are two Graben which formed prominent loci of sedimentation in lineament zone. The area of lineament zone studied tectonically encompasses two crustal provinces of Central India Shield, namely, the Northern Crustal Province (NCP) and the Southern Crustal Province (SCP). The two provinces are separated by a crustal level shear zone, referred as Central Indian Suture.The zone has been a major locus of episodic tectonism with evidences of reactivation. The E-W to ENE-WSW trending Narmada and Tapti lineament from a prominent tectonic belt (SONATA) in midplate continental India. The Narmada conspicuously has straight course which is controlled by ENE_WSW to E_W lineament, it is bounded by Vindhyan in the north and Satpura in the south, it has been exposed to the repeated post erisional and depositional activities and subjected to anisotropic and asymmetric tectonic dislocation which has culminated diversified morphogenetic expression. It further reshaped landscape architech which has categorised different regions and had undergone the process of tectonic evolution and chiseling of terrain by dynamic erosional and depositional activity in into various morphogenetic regions, land form elements, configuration of drainage, topography, erosional platform, denudation ridges, structural units linear valleys, strike hills, valley gapes, escarpments and river terraces. The cumulative dynamics of structural deform, rinsing and sinking platform of Narmada has manifested imprints of concealed mechanism of tectonics, geothermic activity, seiesmicity neosiesmic events and surface manifestation. In addition the valley gapes and valley trenche provided ideal sites for sedimentationin Narmada Purna –Tapti and Son valley. The rift trench is intruded by the dolerite and other mafic and siliceous dykes and sills along lineaments in different phases of tectonic deformation. The Quaternary sedimentation incepting from glacial activity, followed by fluvio-glacial, lacustrine and fluvial phase within the rinsing and sinking environment, block faulting and linear displacement, uplifting and isolated domal up- lift, Neogene rifting and tearing. The rift-bound Pliocene–Pleistocene rifting and volcanic activities specifically during glacial and fluvio-glacial phase are major component of the Quaternary period and tectonic processes of the Narmada Rift System which form the base of Quaternary deposits. The Narmada rift system basin platform provided a unique setting for dynamic ecosystems that were characterized by Rift-related subsidence and coeval sedimentation and environment for the accumulation of sediments volcanic fabrics, burial digenesis and preservation of organic remains. The present disposition of Narmada blanket of Narmada, Tapti-Purna and Son in SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE revealed that the rift occured after widespread Quaternary sedimentation and accumulation of sediments in the linear trench by glacial activity in late Pleistocenc.The Fluvio-glacial phase is represents by boulder conglomerate which constitute the persistent horizon in the valley. The Narmada has in the area under study has sculptured the alluvial tract into stepped sequence forming four alluvial terraces along its course. These are designated as NT0 to NT3, NT0 being the youngest terrace and NT-3 the oldest terrace where the sub terraces are designated NT2-A is NT2-B, NT2 B, besides NT2-C, NT3-A & NT3-B in increasing order of antiquity. These are both erosional and depositional terraces and confined at an elevation, between 260 to 380 are separated by the scarp both of curvilinear and linear in nature facing towards river side. These are abandoned flood plains of Narmada and represent the level of former valley floor. These were formed by cumulative climato-tectonic changes in the watershed of Narmada in the Quaternary times. The Tapti-Purna graben is located south of Satpurs which evolved as two separate sub basins of fluvio-lacustrine sedimentation, connected subsequently with reactivation. The most conspicuous feature of the southern margin of the Satpura between longitude 74º and 78º is cospicous ENE-WSW to E-W trend of Tapti whcih display local swing at places. These trends characterizing Tapti crustal block, confiorm to structural grain of the area reflecting the convergence of Tapti and Gavilgarh faults enechelon system traversing Satpura foot hills, with a southerly convexity. The Quaternary basin area in Tapti Crustal block are characterized by relatively thinner crust with moho depth of 33-37 km, shallow basement (<1 km) with higher density (+0.239m) mantle derivatives emplaced at shallow level (4-5 km; Rao K.V., 1997). The present studies taking entire quaternary sedimentation of SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE as single ecological system besides the tectonics on the either side of Satpurat revealed that the area of SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE formed single loci of sedimentation and there was contionus and sequential deposition of sediments from Pleistocene to Upper Pleistocene time. It is witnessed by quaternary events morphogenetic expression disposition of river terraces, their mutual, relation, lithostratigraphy, correlation of terraces across Narmada, Tapti –Purna and Son valley Khan (in press). The Narmada and Son are two linear basins north of Satpura and Tapti-Purna in south was a single eliptical trench which has provided a patform of Quaternary sedimentation in Central India. The present expression and configuration of this trench is fragmented and disposition of quaternary blankets of Son Narmada, Tapti and Purna is due to tearing, faulting, dislocation subsidence, up rise of various blocks and reactivation of structural fabrics with in the SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE. The Quaternary deposits of Tapti comprised of Bouledre conglomerate, fluvial deposits of paleodomain and present domain of Tapti. The Boulder conglomerate forms the base of Quaternary deposits overling directly on basaltic rock and embodied with older deposits in the basin. It revealed that inception of Quaternary sedimention ocuurred in the rock basin south of Stapura in Tapti which had outer rim of basin in the west restricted by strong N-S structural trend and striking ranges. It is contradictory to the openion of earliear worker (Tiwari, 1996) and others. The Quaternary deposits of wardha in the east upper Pleistocene-Holocene age (50 m) (Tiwari 1985) forms the eastern fringe of Tapti Basin; it is seprated from Tapti-Purna basin by episodes activation of the eastern block during Quaternary period Khan (in press). The present studies within single ecology of geology tectonics and in hormony of sedimentation in lineament zone, in increasing antiquity revealed that Tapti-Purna was a single basin, formed a mega tectonic depression which was hospitable to sedimentation during Plesistocene to Upper Pleistocene –Holocene time.The present expression is of basin is due to Quaternary tectonics in the lineament zone. In Tapti basin Bouler conglomerate occurs as persisten horizon at the base of quaternary deposit which represents specific pahse of sedimentation in the valley , it is time equvalent to the boulder conglomerate of Narmada and has witnessed that the sedimentation on eithr edge of Satpura and in the SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE in single ecology was contamparary and simultaneous with Narmada, which further revealed that quaternary deposits of Tapti are early to middle Pleistocene in age and related to the early reactivation of Tapti lineament.The association of rock cut terraces, rock cut benches, strend lines and rock cut sacr in Tapti and waghour rivers demonstrate mighty reactivation of Tapti lineament during the early stages of sedimentation. The cyclic reactivation has vertically incised and cut country rocks in to rock cut benches in stepped sequence; where as in the Purna valley a gape was been created by reactivation of Tapti- Purna linament was convering point and was hospitable to of accumulation of sediments and sedimentation. The Purna basin embraces hanging drainage and configuration of basin is closed indicates that loci of sedimentation wast a deep gape and undergone vertical and cyclic subsidence after inception of sedimentation. The thick pile of sediments comprised of five lithostratigraphic units viz. Ferruginised and oxidized cobblel silt and clay Formation, Ferruginised assemblage of pebble brown silt Formation, Red coarse sand, silt clay Formation and Dark grey medium sand,yellow silt and clay Formation and Grey clay silt Formation, where as Tapti Basin has only three units viz. Boulder Conglomerate at the base on rock basin followed by quateranry deposits of paleodomain and present quateranry deposits of Tapti which are older deposits. The present studies within single tectonic and geomorphic ecology and in hormony of sedimentation revealed that Tapti-Purna was a single basin which formed a mega tectonic depression in the east, was hospitable to sedimentation from Plesistocene to Upper Pleistocene –Holocene. The quaternary deposits of wardha is Upper Pleistocene-Holocene age (Tiwari 1985) forms the eastern fringe of Tapti Basin, it is seprated from Tapti-Purna basin by episodes activation of the eastern block during Quaternary period Khan ( in press). In the present work collective and comprehansive study of Quaternary deposits and river terraces in SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE Khan (1984), Khan (1985), Khan et.al (1982), (1984) Khan (1991),) (1992) Khan et al. 1991, Khan 1991, Khan et al. 1992, Yadav & Khan 1996. The Narmada valley embodied almost whole of the Quaternary deposits time span from the lower Pleistocene to Holocene (Khan & Sonakia (1992). Khan (1912), Khan (2012), Khan et.al (2013) Khan (2014), Khan et.al ( 2015), Khan et.al (2015) Khan etal (2015) Khan ( 2015) et.al, Khan (2014), (2014), Khan et.al(2016), Khan et.al(2016) revealed the presence of complete sequence of quaternary sediments in Narmada rock basin viz Glacial, fluvio-glacial and fluvial domain, wher as the boulder conglomerate which has yielded human skull Sonakia (1984) is of fluvio-glacial origin Khan & Sonakia (1991) indictae that SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE has a eliptical and elongated depressinon evolued and emerged by repeated reactivation, the grabens evloved on either side of Satpura were contemarary and sedinentation was simultaoeous and composite in Central India.The prsent disposition and expression of these blanket is fregmented, has conceived its position with repeated tearing, faulting, due cyclic reactivation of different fabrics of SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE (In press). The Quaternary studies in Tapti-Purna valley region have further indicated presence of a depression along Yaval-Adavad-Akot-Bawanbir area, through which an arm of the Arabian Sea (?) extended causing salinity in this region. The depression was filled up by sedimentation. The Neotectonic activities resulted it in further deepening of this basin and as a result alluvium at places reached below present mean sea level. The Narmada graben similar situation occurred which further witnessed that Tapti-Purna was single basin and there was contineous sedimentation from Pleistocene to Upper Pleistocen-Holocence time. The present frame work of the basin is due to Quatenary tectonics and reactivation of SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE. The Quaternary blanket of Son Valley in central India (23.00 to 24.00° 78.00 to 80.00 N) had deeply incised in to river terrace related with cyclic tectonic adjustment of various blocks in SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE. These terraces are designated STo to ST3 in between 280 m to 310 m above m.s.l increasing antiquity from the river bed.The exposed thickness of quaternary deposits is about 30. The study of the linament and structural elements indicates that Son negotiate its course along the strong ENE-WSW to E-W trend which is sympathetic to the trend of Narmada and Tapti.The structural febrics display the imprints of neotectonisam which is reflected in in reshaping of landscap and Quateranry terrces. These terraces display both convergence and divergence in their relative disposition in the valley, are both cyclic and non cyclic in nature which further authenticates cyclic reactivation of Son in synchronisation of SONATA LINEAMENT ZONE