Executive Summary : | The Karakoram Fault (KF) is one of the oldest and most active fault system in Asia. It has been believed that this fault has immensely contributed towards the tectonic evolution of Himalayan landscape. Studies carried out in Tibet along KF have suggested variable slip rates ranging from 1 to 30 mm/year, which could be attributed to the complex geometry, multiple splays and oblique slip (Van der Woerd et al., 2002; Brown et al., 2002; Lacassin et al., 2004; Wang et al., 2001; Banerjee and Burgmann, 2002). Slip derived from earthquake vectors suggests that slip along KF could not exceed ~10 mm/yr (Lyon-Cane, 1989; England and Molnar, 1997). A few attempts have been made to decipher the slip rates along KF. GPS study from NW Himalaya suggests that north-south oblique motion of 17 ± 2 mm/yr is partitioned between dextral motion 5 ± 2 mm/yr on KF and 13.6 ± 1 mm/yr on the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) in Kashmir (Kundu et al., 2014). Another GPS studies based on 10 campaign mode and six permanent stations suggest right-lateral slip of 3.4 5 mm/yr, which is consistent with the estimated slip of 3-4 mm/yr during Late Holocene, however, disagrees with the higher rate of 30-35 mm/yr between Indian and Tibetan Plates (Jade et al., 2004). Cosmogenic dating of debris flow and moraines from area near Pangong Lake suggested average slip rate of 4 ± 1 mm/yr, which could imply to an earthquake ~M7 (Brown et al., 2002). U-Pb geochronology of offset mid-Miocene leucogranites suggested long-term average slip rates between 3 and 11 mm/yr on KF (Rutter et al., 2007). No data on historic or pre-historic earthquakes is available, also not much research work has been carried out in the Indian side, therefore, it is extremely difficult to decipher the slip-rates, recurrence interval and seismic hazard posed from the earthquakes if triggered in near future on KF. We propose to undertake detailed mapping and dating of geomorphic marker (viz. offset of terraces – fluvial and alluvial fan surfaces, offset of streams & glacial moraines, active fault scarps), paleoseismic studies to identify paleo-earthquake events, reconstructing chronology of seismic history, slip rate/s along KF. Field investigations will be carried out along KF in the Indian territory with appropriate permissions, mostly along the most prominent portions of the KF showing distinct offset/trace of active fault. CSIR-NGRI has established a 10 station permanent GPS network across the Karakoram fault. The network was established in 2014-15. The deformation rate in the region are low and hence longer duration data are required. We are confident that adding another 2-3 years data will provide us very good constraints on the deformation and slip rate on the KF. |