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TMP 72 FE
TMP 72 FE
Abstract: Storms from the Arabian Sea are the most significant meteorological feature in western India that brings
extreme rainy days together with catastrophic flooding. The present study reports two such palaeo-storm horizons at
1.16 m and 3.2 m above the present day water level in the Narmada channel, 56 km inland based on sedimentology and
foraminiferal records. Both the horizons show similar sediment facies and foraminiferal assemblage. The present findings
instigate to look for such new sites and build palaeo-storm records for western India.
Keywords: Palaeo-storm, Late Holocene, Foraminifera, Flood plain, Narmada valley, Western India.
INTRODUCTION three layers, the two muddy facies, L1 and L2 show distinct
Foraminifers are the most widely studied microfossils and sharp lower and upper bounding surfaces whereas, upper
for their short life cycles and immediate response to change most unit, L3, shows a gradual transition along lower
in environment, calling them as an ideal bio-indicator for bounding surface. Landform studies reveal that the Uchediya
both modern to past environmental changes (Schafer, 2000; sequence along Narmada river belongs to historical period
Hallock et al. 2003; Frontalini and Coccioni, 2008). Studies and is younger to the landform that features dated sequence
on modern foraminiferal faunal distribution have been used close to Uchediya village (1200 -1900 years; Raj and
for documenting Holocene eustatic sea level changes, Yadava, 2009). Our present study is therefore, focused on
(Gehrels, 1999; Horton et al. 1999; Edwards and Horton, two muddy facies belonging to L1 and L2 levels developed
2000; Gebhardt et al. 2004; Massey et al. 2006; Woodroffe, along Uchediya sequence. Microfaunal studies undertaken
2009), bathymetric related zonation pattern (Culver, 1988) gives significant understanding towards depositional
and the role of tectonics (Hayward et al. 2010). Studies on environment. The methodology adopted for microfaunal
microfossils distribution in Narmada estuary along studies, identification of various species, their count and
Quaternary marine sequence (Ambheta: 21°402 493 N; their environmental significance is discussed. The present
72°352 423 E: 20 km inland) documents monsoonal work further highlights repeated palaeo-storm events in the
upwelling (Ghosh et al., 2008). Further similar records from lower reaches of Narmada valley through Arabian Sea and
present active river channels (Narmada river and Tapti river) looks forward toward need of finding of such historical
were used to document palaeo-macro-tidal estuarine evidence of palaeo-storm along the west coast.
environments (Ghosh et al. 2009).
Our recent sedimentological studies on Uchediya
STUDY AREA
sequence in lower reaches of river Narmada (21°43'2.22"
N, 73° 6'26.22" E; 10 m a. s. l; 56 km inland from coast; The Uchediya sequence [21°43'2.22" N, 73° 6'26.22" E;
Sukumaran et al. 2012) reveals two dominant sediment 10 m a. s. l], under present study falls in the present left
facies namely, sandy (68%) and muddy facies (32%). bank of Narmada channel about 56 km inland from the
Sedimentology and field studies discover that muddy facies coastline (Fig.1). A systematic survey carried out over a late
occur at three distinct 1evels namely, Level 1 (L1),1.6 m to Holocene flood plain reveals continuity of lithounits for
1.62 m; Level 2 (L2), 3.5 m to 4.26 m; and Level 3 (L3), about 2.4 km. Sedimentologically the sequence is classified
6.00 m to 8.02 m from the present day water line. Of the into three distinct sedimentary facies based on both nature
Fig.1. Location map and overall geomorphology of the study area in lower reaches of Narmada valley.
of contacts (upper and lower bounding surfaces) and at 12 cm interval. Initial processing of samples was done by
sedimentological characteristics (Fig.2). Sukumaran et al. wet sieving through 63 µm size sieve. The fraction >63 µm
(2012) have given a detailed description. was collected, dried (at 50°C) and observed under a
binocular microscope (maximum magnification: 32 times).
Micro-fossils were isolated and transferred using fine “000”
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
size brush. A detailed morphological study of the specimens
The section was studied and sampled along cut-open has been done using the scanning electron microscope.
trenches along four benches across the 802 cm vertical
profile. Each trench was approximately 200 cm in depth
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
and 50cm in width in vertical along the plumb line. The
trench was further dressed and cleaned to record field based Sedimentologcally, the fluvial facies 1 (0-116 cm) and
sedimentological details (sedimentary facies, their transition, fluvial facies 2 (162-350 cm) are well sorted to moderately
and sedimentary structures) followed by continuous high well sorted medium sand and very coarse skewed sediments
resolution sampling at 2 cm intervals. Total 401 samples with trough cross stratifications suggesting river channel
were collected in two sets, of which one set packed in bottles facies. The transitional facies (426-600 cm) represents
was used for analysis, whereas another set packed in intercalated sand and muddy sand having a mean grain size
aluminium foil and plastic bags is preserved as the of fine to very fine sand with poorly sorted and fine skewed
undisturbed library sample. Of the three facies, detail studies representing a transitional environment of channel facies to
were carried out on foraminiferal bearing muddy sediments an overbank facies. The overbank facies (600-802 cm)
intertidal facies 1 (48 cm thick) and intertidal facies 2 having a mean grain size of very coarse silt, poorly sorted
(76 cm thick). Sedimentological analysis was carried out at and fine skewed. Whereas foraminifera bearing intertidal
2 cm interval (Sukumaran et al. 2012), whereas, analysis of facies 1 (116-162 cm) and intertidal facies 2 (350-426cm)
foraminiferal studies was undertaken for selected samples represents a fine skewed, poorly sorted, thinly laminated
Fig.2. Litholog of Uchediya sequence showing sedimentological characteristics (Sukumaran et al. 2012) of foraminifera bearing sandy
mud (Software Courtesy SedLog; Zervas et al. 2009).
Fig.3. Scanning electron microscopic photographs of various species identified from lower reaches of Narmada valley. 1. Quinqueloculina
seminulum; 2. Fissurina cf indica; 3. Gallitella vivans; 4 .Globigerina bulloides; 5. Bolivina pussila; 6. Cassidulina cf. laevigata;
7. Bulimina marginata; 8. Murrayinella murrayi; 9. Elphidium simplex; 10. Nonionoides auris; 11. Nonionoides gatiloupi;
12. Ammona tepida; 13. Elphidium cf excavatum; 14. Elphidium sp.
very coarse silt and coarse silt (Descriptive terminology Elphidium sp Intertidal facies 2
after Folk and Ward (1957) and Friedman and Sanders Elphidium cf excavatum
Ammonia tepida
(1978)). Nonionoides gatiloupi
Micropaleontological studies in all yields 270 specimens Nonionoides auris
Haynesina simplex
of foraminifera from two intertidal facies. Intertidal facies Murayinella murrayi
Bulimina marginata
1 yields 102 foraminiferal specimens from 1.7 grams of Cassidulina cf laevigata
processed sample whereas intertidal facies 2 gives a yield Bolivina pusilla
Globigerina bulloides
of 168 foraminiferal specimens from 2.3 grams of processed Gallitella vivans
sample (Table 1 and Fig.3). The quantitative analyses for Fissurinacf
Fissurina cfindica
lucida
Quinquloculina seminulum
both the units having identical depositional history reveal 0 20 40 60 80
count of the total microfossil number that is almost equal to Percentage
reports of occurrence of foraminiferal assemblages were sorted, thinly laminated very coarse silt and coarse silt
from the inner Narmada estuary region as well as extending bearing both benthic and planktic foraminifera suggest
inland up to 50 kms in the active channel (Ghosh et al., palaeo-storm deposits. These deposits are significant when
2008, Ghosh et al., 2009). However the present finding at correlated with other same age events as well as merged
two levels above the present channel reveals occurrence of with different age events across the west coast of India to
repeated palaeo-storm events in the lower reaches of understand track records and build a historical record on
Narmada valley through Arabian Sea. palaeo-storm from Arabian Sea.
The intercalated sand and sandy mud Uchediya sequence
represents aggradation of late Holocene flood plain. The Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to Department
foraminifera bearing intertidal facies 1 and intertidal facies of Science and Technology for the financial support through a
2 are sandwiched within a channel facies and mixed project grant, SR/S4/ES-21/NARMADA WINDOW/P 6. We also
wish to thank the Head of the Department of Earth Science and
transitional facies environment respectively. The uniformity
Nerurkar Shilpa from IIT Bombay for permission and support
in sedimentology as well as abundance in foraminiferal
during the SEM photography. PS is thankful to Dr. Bruce W.
percentage suggests similar events have occurred twice Hayward, Geomarine Research, Auckland, New Zealand for the
during the aggradation history of Uchediya sequence. support in species level identification of the specimens and Mr.
Appearance of sudden ribbons of finely skewed, poorly Nitesh Khonde for his help during the laboratory analysis.
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