Ladakh Magmatic Arc (LMA) recently disovered from the scientist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), revealing critical details about the tectonic evolution that formed the Himalayas. it explains how the region evolved from a chain of volcanic islands in an ancient ocean to a massive continental mountain range..
Three Major Evolutionary Phases
Researchers identified three distinct magmatic episodes based on the chemical and isotopic signatures of the rocks
- Island Arc Phase (160–110 Million Years Ago):
- Ladakh began as a chain of volcanic islands (the Dras-Nidar Island Arc Complex) rising from the Neo-Tethys Ocean.Magma during this period primarily emerged from the mantle with minimal contribution from subducted sediments.
- Continental Convergence Phase (103–45 Million Years Ago):
- As the Indian and Eurasian plates converged, large granite bodies known as the Ladakh Batholith formed deep underground.
- Post-Collisional Phase (Less than 45 Million Years Ago):
- After the final collision and the closure of the Neo-Tethys Ocean, molten rock continued to rise through cracks in the crust.
- This formed mafic dykes—narrow sheets of dark volcanic rock—derived from a mantle source already enriched by previous tectonic activity…
Key Scientific Findings:
- By measuring rare isotopes like strontium and neodymium, scientists traced whether magma originated from the deep mantle, recycled sediments, or the continental crust
- The LMA acts as a continuous 130-million-year record of the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic plate beneath the Eurasian margin..
- A major conclusion is that sediment subduction played a significantly more pronounced role in the formation of the Kohistan-Ladakh Batholith than in the earlier island arc stage
This research, published in Geoscience Frontiers, provides a clearer picture of the deep-time processes that shaped one of the most complex geological regions on Earth.. visit to Read more on Environment
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