IJSR - International Journal of Scientific Research

N. Rajeshwara Rao; Tariq Abdul Kareem; S. Anbalagan; R. Pasupathi; K. S. Sree Vidhya

Volume : VI, Issue : IV, April - 2017

Quartz Microtextures as Proxies for Deciphering Sedimentary Depositional Environments A Case Study from Red Hills, Tamil Nadu, India

N. Rajeshwara Rao, Tariq Abdul Kareem, S. Anbalagan, R. Pasupathi, K. S. Sree Vidhya

Abstract :

Micro–textures recorded on the surfaces of quartz grains provide evidence of past environment, as these grains are predominantly used due to their superior resiliency to degradation by natural physical and chemical processes. They can withstand a variety of processes leading up to their deposition without being completely obliterated. Environmental processes, such as transport by rivers, create unique micro–texture surfaces that can be observed under high magnification with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A ferruginous sandstone outcrop near a small village called Manjanakaranai, near Red Hills in Tamil Nadu State, India, was selected for comprehending its sedimentary depositional environment using micro–textures on quartz grain surfaces. Analysis and interpretation of SEM photographs of selected quartz grains from different levels in the outcrop reveal that the sediments were transported by running water and deposited in a fluvial (riverine) sedimentary environment.