Audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) studies across Aravali-Tural-Rajawadi geothermal zones, western Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Thermal springs of Aravali, Tural and Rajawadi are located in the Deccan volcanic province (DVP) in the western part of Maharashtra, India and are covered by Deccan basalts. These springs run parallel to the Western Ghats and geochemical studies denote that these hot water springs are of meteoritic origin that emerge from basement rock. To understand the geoelectric structure and possible source zone of hot water springs, a 26-station audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) survey was carried out along E –W profiles across Aravali, Tural and Rajawadi geothermal springs with a station spacing of about 1–1.5 km. A 2D inversion was carried out jointly for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) data after the distortion and decomposition analysis. These geothermal zones appear as high conductive zones at shallow depth and are associated with fault/ fracture zones within the sedimentary basin. The basement depth increases from 1 km to 2.5 km moving from Aravali to Rajawadi geothermal zones. Volcanic plugs at a shallow depth beneath Tural and Rajawadi thermal springs act as a source rock for heat. Thus, hot water temperatures are higher for these two thermal springs relative to Aravali thermal spring, which is devoid of magma intrusion and related to circulation of meteoric water over basement.