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Geological mapping of Jharia Coalfield,India using GRACE EGM2008 gravitydata: a vertical derivative approachJitendra Vaisha & S.K. Palaa Department of Applied Geophysics, Indian School of Mines,Dhanbad, IndiaAccepted author version posted online: 14 Apr 2014.Publishedonline: 12 May 2014.

To cite this article: Jitendra Vaish & S.K. Pal (2014): Geological mapping of Jharia Coalfield, Indiausing GRACE EGM2008 gravity data: a vertical derivative approach, Geocarto International, DOI:10.1080/10106049.2014.905637

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Geological mapping of Jharia Coaleld, India using GRACEEGM2008 gravity data: a vertical derivative approach

Jitendra Vaish and S.K. Pal*

Department of Applied Geophysics, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India

(Received 22 May 2013; nal version received 10 March 2014)

High-resolution satellite gravity data of gravity recovery and climate experiment(GRACE) generated by Earth Gravity Model-2008 (EGM2008) have been utilisedfor geological mapping of the Jharia coaleld. The generated GRACE EGM2008classical gravity data have been processed for estimation of gravity anomaly map.The gravity anomaly map has been enhanced using the rst and second VerticalDerivatives techniques. Geological and structural maps of the study area have beenoverlapped over different derivative maps to analyse the correlation with the subsur-face geological structures of the study area. Major distinct geological signatures, ondifferent derivative maps, are correlated well with the existing geological map.Moreover, vertical derivative maps of the gravity data generated from GRACEEGM2008 model provide better agreement and understanding for geological settingof the Jharia coaleld.

Keywords: EGM2008; vertical derivative; prole analysis; geological mapping;Jharia coaleld

1. Introduction

The utilisation of high-resolution satellite gravity model data for geological explorationand tectonic studies is an emergent area of research. With advancement of recent tech-nology, different state-of-the-art satellite-based gravity models are developed by variousresearchers (Pavlis & Rapp 1990; Rummel et al. 2002; Pavlis et al. 2007, 2008; Tapley,et al. 2007; Forste et al. 2008; Andersen et al. 2009; Pail et al. 2010, Ries et al. 2011,Steffen et al. 2011; Pavlis et al. 2012) for understanding Earths Geological and Geody-namical processes.

The gravity recovery and climate experiment (GRACE) gravity data can improve theunderstanding and modelling of the Earths interior and its dynamic processes, contribut-ing to new insights into the geodynamics associated with the lithosphere, mantle compo-sition, and uplift and subduction processes. With careful processing and integration withadditional gravimetric data, high- resolution satellite gravity data can be used to studysedimentary basins and to assist in hydrocarbon exploration of under-explored areas(Majumdar & Bhattacharyya 2005; Majumdar et al. 2006; Steffen et al. 2011; AbdulFattah et al. 2013). GRACE gravity data, in combination with other data, could be usefulfor identication of the structure and composition of the crust and the lithosphere. Therecent GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity data will provide a state-of-the-art gravityanomaly map of an area and can be utilised for a novel means of improved structural

*Corresponding author. Email: sanjitism@gmail.com

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mapping for better understanding of gravitational imprint of different lithological units,lineaments, dykes, faults, and seismotectonic set-up of a region (Braitenberg & Ebbing2009; Braitenberg et al. 2011; Pal & Majumdar 2012a, 2012b; Vaish & Pal 2012; AbdulFattah et al. 2013). The classical gravity anomaly is the magnitude of the gradient of thedownward continued potential on the geoid minus the magnitude of the gradient of thenormal potential on the ellipsoid (Scientic Technical Report STR09/02, http://icgem.gfz-potsdam.de, www.gfz-postsdam.de -News-GFZ Publication).

The GRACE carries twin satellites separated from each other by a distance of 220km and orbiting the earth 16 times a day at an altitude of 500 km. As the front satelliteapproaches an area of higher gravity, due to the high-density material underneath it ispulled towards the area of higher gravity this causes it to and speed up. This increasesthe distance between the two satellites. As the satellites pass the area of higher gravity,the front satellite will slow down and the rear satellite will speed up. During continuousrotation of the twin satellites, the relative speeding up and slowing down between themare measured by a microwave K-band-ranging instrument and this is then utilised tomap the Earths gravitational eld (http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/).

EGM2008 is generated by assimilation of GRACE satellite gravity data, ancillaryterrestrial data and altimetry data. This is a spherical harmonic model of the Earthsgravitational potential, developed by a least squares combination of the ITG-GRACE03S gravitational model and its associated error covariance matrix, with thegravitational information obtained from a global set of area-mean free air-gravity anom-alies dened on a 5 arc-minute equiangular grid. This grid was formed by merging ter-restrial, altimetry-derived, and airborne gravity data. Over areas where only lowerresolution gravity data were available, their spectral content was supplemented withgravitational information implied by the topography. EGM2008 is complete to degreeand order 2159, and contains additional coefcients up to degree 2190 and order 2159(Pavlis et al. 2012).

In the context of complex geological set-up of Jharia coaleld, the present studyhas been carried out for evaluation of GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity data to infergeological mapping. The present study deals mainly with twofold objectives: (i) utilisa-tion of the high- resolution GRACE gravity data generated by Earth Gravity Model-2008 for delineation and correlation of lithological units using vertical derivatives and(ii) understanding of different tectonic set-up of the Jharia coaleld using vertical deriv-atives of GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity data.

2. General geological set-up of the study area

During initial stages of the Jharia basin formation, at the time of Talchir formation,major parts of Jharia basin were positive areas except northern and north-westernfringes. During lower Barakar formation, the Jharia basin was completely subsided; ini-tial stages of the subsidence took place due to down-warping of the basinal oor. Thepattern of the basin subsidence from middle Barakar and onwards began to beincreasingly modied by contemporaneous faulting (Fox 1930; Sengupta 1980; Ghosh& Mukhopadhyay 1985). The southern boundary fault was initiated along a small seg-ment of the Jharia basin during Upper Barakar formation and extended along recentsouthern boundary with the deposition of Barakar measures. Jharia basin underwent asharp change due to subsidence during the Barren measure formation.

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An EW trending-elongated sub-basin developed as a stretching axis from Dugdain the west to Jamadoba in the east. Maximum subsidence occurred along Mahuda.The southern edge of the basin was marked by the appearance of an elongated ridge onthe basinal oor which is the ParbatpurPatherdih ridge separating the Bhojudih

Figure 1. Geological map of the study area (modied after Paul & Chatterjee 2011).

Table 1. Generalised stratigraphic succession of Jharia coaleld (modied after Chandra 1992).

Age Formation Litho-typeMax.

thickness

Recent and sub-recent

Weathered Alluvium, sandy soil, clay, gravel, etc. 30 m

UnconformityJurassic Deccan trap and

other igneousactivity (intrusive)

Dolerite dykes, mica lamprophyre dykeand sills

Upper Permian Raniganj Fine grained feldspathic sandstones,shales with coal seam

800 m

Middle Permian Barren Measure Buff coloured sandstone, shales andcarbonaceous shales

730 m

Lower Permian Barakar Buff coloured coarse to medium grainedfeldspathic sandstones, grits, shales,carbonaceous shale and coal seam

+ 1250 m

UpperCarboniferous

Talchir Greenish shale and ne grainedsandstones

245 m

UnconformityArcheans Metamorphics

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sub-basin situated in the south-eastern end of the Jharia coaleld. Along theRaniganjbarren measures contact boundary around Mahuda, an elliptical basin isformed. This resulted due to the subsidence of barren measures as well as faulting. TheBamangora fault demarcates the boundary of the barren measures and Raniganj forma-tion (Chatterjee & Ghosh, 1970; Chandra 1992). The Jharia coaleld forms a part ofeastwest trending-gondwana basins of the Damodar valley in the north-eastern part ofthe India.

The rock formations of Jharia coaleld unconformably overlying the archean base-ment, mainly belong to the Lower Gondwana group of Permian age comprising Talchir,Barakar, Barren measures and Raniganj formations, from bottom to top (Fox 1934;Mehta & Murthy 1957). Tectonically, Gondwana coaleld basin was formed by thedown-faulting of the crystalline basement oor, boundaries of which are marked byhigh-angle normal faults of enchelon type (Chandra 1992). In addition, to these mar-ginal faults, there are several inter-basinal gravity faults within the basin resulting indislocation of coal seams and dolerite dykes and mica-peridotite dykes, as well as sillsthat are in close association with faults and coal seams (Verma et al. 1979). A simpli-ed geological map of Jharia coaleld is shown in Figure 1 (Paul & Chatterjee 2011)and general stratigraphic succession (modied after Chandra 1992) is given in Table 1.

3. Methodology

GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity anomaly data have been generated using calcula-tion service (http://icgem.gfz-potsdam.de/ICGEM/) of International Centre for GlobalEarth Models at a grid interval of 0.1 0.1. The topography-reduced Bouguer gravityanomaly data have been generated by subtracting the Bouguer plate (2GH =0.1119H, G is universal gravity constant, is constant density = 2.67 g/cm3, H is topo-graphical height in m) from the generated gravity anomaly data (Scientic TechnicalReport STR09/02, http://icgem.gfz-potsdam.de/ICGEM/). Topography model of ASTERGDEM has been re-gridded at an interval of 0.1 0.1 as used in the corrections.Finally, surface grid map of Bouguer gravity anomaly map has been generated usingKriging interpolation method.

The extracted gravity anomaly has been processed and analysed in advanced Geosoft,Oasis Montaj software using First Vertical and Second Vertical Derivatives techniques.In the present study, rst and second Vertical Derivative have been generated fromEGM2008 gravity anomaly map using Geosoft; and, further, surface grid map has beengenerated using Kriging interpolation method (Pal et al. 2006). Generally derivatives ofgravity anomaly enhance shallow bodies, remove the regional and suppress deeper ones.First vertical derivatives emphasise near surface features. The second vertical derivativeenhances near surface effects at the expense of deeper anomalies. Second derivativesmeasure curvature. The large curvatures are associated with shallow anomalies.

A rst vertical derivative is obtained through the computation of second horizontalderivatives of vertical-integrated potential eld and through the application of Laplaceequation. Second vertical derivative is obtained through the computation of secondhorizontal derivatives of the potential eld following Laplace equation (Agarwal & Lal1969; Gupta & Ramani 1982; Blakely 1995):

O2g @2g=@x2 @2g=@y2 @2g=@z2 0

@2g=@z2 @2g=@x2 @2g=@y2 (1)

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Enhanced derivative maps of gravity data have been imported in Erdas Imagineplatform. The anomaly maps have been generated using Non-linear Rubber sheetinginterpolation method. The vector map of lithounits and structural features has beengenerated and superimposed over the enhanced map. Two prospective gravity proleshave been selected over the study area along AA/ and BB/ in Figure 2. Both the gravityproles have been analysed to infer lithological units/lithological boundaries/structuralfeatures and faults/lineaments, over some prominent geological structures using Spatial

Figure 2. GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity anomaly map of the study area. Lithologicalboundary map and structural features have been superimposed.

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prole tool of Erdas Imagine. Finally, geological map of the area has beensuperimposed on the derivative maps of GRACE EGM2008 gravity data in ArcGISplatform for further understanding and analysing of the correlation with the subsurfacegeological structures of the area (Pal et al. 2006).

Figure 3. In situ Bouguer gravity contours are overlaid on GRACE EGM2008 Bouguer gravityanomaly map of the study area. Lithological boundary map and structural features have beensuperimposed.

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4. Results and discussion

GRACE EGM2008 classical gravity anomaly map is shown in Figure 2. The Bouguergravity anomaly map of the study area has been generated from GRACE EGM2008classical gravity anomaly data, as shown in Figure 3. In situ Bouguer anomaly map

Figure 4. First vertical derivative map generated from GRACE EGM2008 Bouguer gravity dataof the study area. Lithological boundary map and structural feature have been superimposed.

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(NGRI 1978; Singh et al. 2004) has been digitised and overlaid on GRACE EGM2008Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the study area (Figure 3). Geological map of the areahas been superimposed over the gravity anomaly map (Figure 3). In situ Bougueranomaly varies from 35 to 5 mgal with standard deviation of 11.8 mgal and GRACEEGM2008 Bouguer gravity anomaly varies 34 to 1 mgal with standard deviation of12.2 mgal. The correlation coefcient and covariance between the Bouguer gravity

Figure 5. Second vertical derivative map generated using GRACE EGM2008 gravity data ofstudy area. Lithological map and different Structural units has been superimposed.

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anomaly distribution of in situ data and GRACE EGM2008 data for entire study areaare 0.86 and 94.4, respectively. A prominent low gravity corresponding to Raniganjformation has been identied from Figure 3. Relative high-gravity anomalies have beenobserved over other lithounits. First Vertical Derivative map and Second Vertical Deriv-ative map generated from GRACE EGM2008 gravity data of the study area are shownin Figures 4 and 5, respectively. Geological and the structural maps of the study areahave been superimposed on both the maps. Prole plots of GRACE EGM2008 andin situ Bouguer gravity anomaly distribution along the prole AA/ and along the proleBB/ are shown in Figure 6. The results show that the correlation coefcient betweenthe Bouguer gravity anomaly distribution of in situ data and GRACE EGM2008 forthe prole AA/ and prole BB/ are 0.91 and 0.98, respectively. Prole plots of rst ver-tical derivative and second vertical derivative of gravity anomaly distribution alongAA/ (86.26, 23.63 (A)86.40, 23.87 (A/)) and BB/ (86.11, 23.77 (B)86.52,23.64 (B/)) are shown in Figures 7 and 8, respectively. Different lithological units/boundary and structural units have been delineated as observed with distinct bends orchanges in the slope in the spectrum. For better understanding of the Prole plots, thestarting points of the proles AA/ (RD 030 km) and BB/ (RD 043 km) have beentreated as reduced distance (RD) of zero km and end points as RD of 30 and 43 km,respectively. Southern Boundary Fault, BarrenMeasures, Barren Measures-BarakarBeds Contact Boundary, Fault within Barakar beds, Talchir Formation and Archaean

Distance (km) 86.110, 23.770 (B) 86.520, 23.640 (B/)

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Basement are delineated near at RD 7, 9, 15, 18, 21 and 23 km, respectively, along theprole AA/ from Figures 7(a) and 8(a). Archaean Basement, Raniganj Formation, Dol-erite Dyke, Fault within Raniganj Formation, RaniganjBarren Measure ContactBoundary, Barakar Beds, Barren Measures-Barakar Beds Contact Boundary, Faultswithin Barakar Beds and Archaean Basement are delineated at RD 4, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25,27, 3033 and RD 40 km, respectively, along the prole BB/ seen from Figures 7(b)and 8(b).

It is clear from Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8 that most of the published (Figure 1) lithoun-its, its boundaries and structural elements along the prole AA/ and BB/ are easilydelineated. Further, some distinct bends/ changes in slopes are observed in differentprole plots as shown in Figures 7 and 8 and could be demarcated as additional subsur-face lineaments/dykes/faults. These could be validated through detailed study of theidentied areas. The Second Vertical Derivative map is more effective than the FirstVertical Derivative map for delineation of different contact boundaries and structuralelements. From the comprehensive study of Figures 38, it is evident the Jharia coal

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Figure 7. Plots of rst vertical derivative of gravity anomaly distribution (a) along AA/ (b)along BB/. Different lithological units/boundary and structural units have been delineated asobserved with distinct bends or changes in slope in the prole.

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basin is characterised by relatively high-gravity anomaly at the centre (BarrenMeasureBarakar contact boundary) with accompanying lows along its shoulders andthe southern boundary fault. The high anomaly surrounded by a low would be indica-tive of subsurface sediments which might be related to the horst, like Patherdih horst,along the eastern side of the Damodar River. It is evident that the gravity high in thearea is associated with synclinal structures lled with sedimentary or meta-sedimentaryformations inter-bedded with small basic intrusions. This is supported by the gravityhigh starting from Bhojudih to Parbatpur, a westerly plunging synform having axisextended towards ESEWNW direction. The relative high-gravity anomaly startingnorth of Radhanagar to Jamadoba is supported by the broad doubly plunging synformwith axis trending towards WNWESE direction. Gravity high located at the north-western part of the basin is observed around Dumra, a metamorphic inlier within thebasin, encircled by Talchir rock units along the northern, north-western and western

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Figure 8. Plots of second vertical derivative gravity anomaly distribution (a) along AA/ and (b)BB/. Different lithological units/boundary and structural units have been delineated as observedwith distinct bends or changes in slope in the prole of second vertical derivative gravityanomaly.

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edges, and by the barakar rock formation along the eastern and southern edges.A relative high anomaly is observed near Dugda,at the corresponding Dugda horst inthe western margin of the coaleld. Gravity anomaly decreasing from the talchir forma-tion towards the raniganjbarren measures contact boundary clearly evidences that thebasin is deeply subsided in that area (near Mahuda). After the subsidence in Mahudaarea, the observed gravity increases towards the north-east direction which suggests thepresence of an area of relative uplift (gravity highs) and towards the south-westdirection near Parbatpur area it shows the presence of a dome . Dome near Parbatpurarea and Patherdih horst is aligned in EW direction. Gravity lows are observed nearDhanbad area which may be due to younger sedimentary lithounits of Talchir andBarakar formation.

The spatial resolution of the generated gravity data is relatively low and this hasbeen gridded using rigorous interpolation. Accordingly, actual positions of all the iden-tied locations of the faults/lineaments/dykes/lithounits boundaries, etc. are relativelywell matched with existing geological map in the enhanced vertical derivative anomalymap. As such, the quantication of error in actual locations of the inferred faults/linea-ments/dykes and the error incorporated could be evaluated by in situ detailed eldstudy in the future.

Generally, the terrestrial in situ gravity data are relatively precise; however, they areoften contaminated by systematic errors such as geodetic datum errors, positioningerrors (mainly elevation), reduction errors, geodynamic effects and instrumental errors(e.g. gravimeter drift), which tend to accumulate over long distances (Amos &Featherstone 2003). These and other systematic errors were studied by Heck (1990).Roland and Denker (2003) showed that the largest error components come from incon-sistencies in the gravity observations and the horizontal and vertical positioning refer-ence systems. It is almost impossible to estimate and correct these errors due to thelack of quantitative information about them. Therefore, the surface and satellite gravitydata are complementary in terms of spectral composition (Huang et al. 2008).

5. Conclusions

In the present study, in situ Bouguer anomaly varies from 35 to 5 mgal with standarddeviation of 11.8 mgal, whereas, GRACE EGM2008 Bouguer gravity anomaly variesfrom 34 to 1 mgal with standard deviation of 12.2 mgal. The correlation coefcientand covariance between the Bouguer gravity anomaly distribution of in situ data andGRACE EGM2008 data of the study area are 0.86 and 94.4, respectively. Prole plotsof vertical derivatives of GRACE EGM2008 gravity anomaly along different prolesare used to delineate various lithological units/boundary and structural units. The Sec-ond Vertical Derivative anomaly is more effective than the First Vertical Derivative fordelineation of different lithological boundaries. Most of the delineated lithologicalunits/boundary and structural units are well correlated with the existing geological mapof the area.

Some additional distinct bends or changes in slopes have been observed in thespectrum of vertical derivatives, which are not relating to geological features of thepublished geological map, may be due to some additional new structural units corre-sponding to faults/lineaments, etc. within different lithounits. This technique can beused in conjunction with geological mapping; thus it provides an indirect explorationtool by identifying and extrapolating geological features, particularly where direct geo-logical mapping is restricted. Present study reveals that the gravity data generated from

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GRACE EGM2008 model have been utilised very effectively for geological evaluationof Jharia coal-eld area and could be utilised to generate improved structural mapsusing better understanding of gravitational imprint of different lithological units, linea-ments, dykes, faults and seismotectonic set-up of a region. The vertical derivative mapsof the gravity data generated from GRACE EGM2008 model provide better agreementand understanding for geological setting of the Jharia coaleld.

AcknowledgementsThe authors wish to thank Prof. D.C. Panigrahi, Director, and Prof. Shalivahan, HOD, Depart-ment of Applied Geophysics, ISM, Dhanbad, for their keen interest in this study. Thanks are alsodue to anonymous Referees, as well as the Editors of the Journal for their suggestions forimproving the manuscript.

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Abstract1. Introduction2. General geological set-up of the study area3. Methodology4. Results and discussion5. ConclusionsAcknowledgementsReferences