Research Projects

The purpose of this proposal is to reconstruct the western coastal upwelling during the Miocene using the conventional Stable and Clumped isotopes of fossil otoliths and molluscs from the sedimentary basins (Kutch and Kerala basins) of western India. The shallow marine areas are extremely sensitive to sea-level changes that are often caused by climatic fluctuations. The otoliths and molluscan fauna dwelling in these settings have a unique combination of accreting shells preserving climatic signatures and a history of rapid ecological and evolutionary response to climatic shifts. The Miocene deposits from Chassra Formation (Kutch Basin, Gujarat State) and Quilon Formation (Kerala Basin, Kerala State) India provide a unique setup to reconstruct and compare palaeo-upwelling conditions at different latitudes at the same time interval i.e. Miocene (Burdigalian). Hence, we propose to reconstruct the palaeo-upwelling conditions and seasonal temperature variation using conventional stable and clumped isotope (δ18O, δ13C, Δ47) recorded on accretionary growth sections of otoliths and mollusc from various locations in western India during the Miocene (Burdigalian).

0