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2575649 
Journal Article 
Late Quaternary alluvial fans and paleosols of the Kangra basin, NW Himalaya: Tectonic and paleoclimatic implications 
Srivastava, P; Rajak, MK; Singh, LP 
2009 
Yes 
Catena
ISSN: 0341-8162
EISSN: 1872-6887 
76 
2 
135-154 
WOS:000264181300006 
The paper describes Late Quaternary pedosedimentary sequences of the alluvial fans from the Kangra basin of NW Himalayas for tectonic and paleoclimatic implications. In the proximal part of the Kangra basin three coalescing alluvial fans, namely Rait-Rihlu fans (similar to 65 km(2)), Kangra fans (similar to 200 km(2)), and Palampur fans (similar to 170 km(2)) from west to east evolved due to reactivation of longitudinal and transverse faults and climatic changes during the Late Quaternary. The fans are characterised by subsidence of Rait-Rihlu fans, uplift of Kangra fans and tilting of Palampur fans. The thick (similar to 90 m) pedosedimentary sequences exposed along the rivers characterise the dominant formative processes over the fans. The stream flow sediments dominate the Rait-Rihlu fans, whereas the debris flow sediments dominate the Kangra and Palampur fans. The fan sequences are also marked by the formation of strongly developed paleosols on loess (L1-L3 loess paleosols) and weakly developed paleosols on fluvial deposits in response to the tectonics and climate change in NW Himalayas.



Formation of the loess in proximal and distal settings of the alluvial fans is related to the cool-dry climates during the advance of glaciers in the adjoining areas at 78 ka, 44 ka, 30 ka and 20 ka when climate was approaching towards the last glacial maxima. Field characters, micromorphology, grain size and clay minerals of these loessic deposits suggest strong pedogenesis of the loess during a warm-humid climate after the retreat of glaciers in the NW Himalayan region and are likely related to marine isotope stages (MIS4/5 in proximal and MIS2/3 in distal). The loess-paleosols show some degree of syndepositional pedogenesis in upper horizons and are accretionary in nature. Weakly expressed pedogenic features in fluvial and debris flow deposits suggest rapid sedimentation over unstable surfaces related to the reactivation of Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and other regional faults. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. 
Himalayas; Alluvial fans; Kangra; Loess-paleosols; Quaternary; Neotectonics