STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF SUYALBARI-ALMORA AREA IN THE KUMAUN LESSER HIMALAYA

Abstract

Durinu Cenozoic time. the collision between India and Asia results the Himalayan Orogen (Molnar and Tapponier. l975 Searle et al.. 1997). Five major thrusts are demarcated in the Himalayan region (Fig. 1). These thrusts are - (i) Himalayan Frontal Thrust (I IFT), (ii) Main Boundary Thrust (MBT). (iii) Main Central Thrust (MCI). (iv) South-Tibetan Detachment Thrust (STDT) and (v) lndo-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ). Siwaliks and Lesser Himalaya are separated by MBT in the South. Lesser Himalaya and Higher Himalayan Crystallines are separated by MCT in the north. Almora Crystalline Zone is exposed between MBT and MCI. Further north, STDT separates Higher Himalayan Metamorphics 1rom Tethys sedimentary sequence. Southward transportation of I ligher Himalayan metamorphic rocks to the Lesser Himalaya has been occurred through tectonic processes. Large and small scale klippen and nappes of these teclonically transported rocks occur over the Lesser Himalaya. Among these one of the largest nappes in the Himalaya is Almora nappe in Kumaun H inialava (Gansser 1964, Heini and Gansser,