The remanent magnetism of some lavas in the deccan traps

Abstract

The magnetizations of over 400 basalt specimens from the Deccan Traps have been found to be aligned in general along a NNW-SSE to NW-SE axis dipping towards the south. The results are consistent with the supposition that India has drifted northwards through over 50° of latitude and rotated 25° anticlockwise within the last 70 million years. In all three localities, the poles corresponding to the upper rocks are nearer the present geographical poles than those from the lower flows. The discrepancy may represent a northward drift of India during the formation of the Deccan Traps, but there are other possible explanations and further data mo necessary to elucidate the problem.