MY RESEARCH SCHOLARS AT DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, UoK

My doctoral research is an ambitious exploration of Mars' ancient climate and the presence of water on its surface and subsurface. Focused on impact craters like Gale, Jazero, and Hellas Basin, I employ high-resolution images and cutting-edge 2D hydraulic modeling with HEC-RAS software to investigate fluvial deposits. This study aims to unveil compelling evidence of water during Mars' early, warmer, and wetter climate, marking a pioneering use of hydraulic modeling on the red planet.

Beyond examining fluvial deposits, I delve into aeolian and ejecta features, unraveling the aftermath of mega-flooding events that shaped Martian landscapes with deltas, mega-ripples, and anti-dunes. The innovative 2D hydraulic modeling becomes a virtual river, allowing simulation and understanding of water flow patterns. This research is poised to be the first to provide robust evidence of water on Mars, promising to reshape our understanding of Mars' climatic evolution and the role of water in its historical landscape.

My doctoral research revolves around understanding the spallation expanse of terrestrial impact craters by leveraging lunar craters as proxies. On Earth, factors like rock mixing and climatic changes make it challenging to determine the true extent of spallation. The Moon, being geologically inactive, preserves a pristine record of impact craters, making it an ideal model. I'm developing correlation models to analyze the relationship between projectile size, ejecta size variation, and the distance between distal and proximal ejecta locations. Using lunar data, I aim to establish size-to-distance trends and explore transportation processes influencing ejecta. The research seeks to refine methodologies for studying impact events on Earth and other planetary bodies.

 My research is focused on the global mapping of lunar minerals and volatiles for studying the mineral-volatile interactions on lunar surface utilizing the state-of-art Near Infrared (NIR) spectrometers of Chandrayaan-2 & Chandrayaan-1 missions. Volatiles on Moon is shown to have distinct time of the day, soil maturity and latitudinal dependencies but the influence of lunar minerals in volatile distribution is still unknown. Establishing a correlation between volatiles and minerals is important to understand influence of minerals in volatile distribution and the lunar volatile cycle. To differentiate and map lunar OH and H2O, I primarily rely on Chandrayaan-2's Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS), offering an extended spectral coverage up to 5 µm. Unlike previous efforts limiting spectral range to 2.5 µm, I employ the full IIRS spectral range with thermal correction to explore shortwave infrared spectral responses of minerals. The mineral abundance estimations in combination with the geologic context will be useful for finding correlations with the OH/H2O absorption band strength and for identifying potential water sources focusing mainly over higher latitudes (±60°) of Moon.

My doctoral research focuses on unraveling the enigma surrounding the Ulindakonda Agglomerate within the Archean Gadwal Greenstone Belt. This geological formation, characterized by its Archean age and significant dimensions, has posed intriguing questions about its origin, composition, and temporal aspects. Through detailed fieldwork, petrographic and geochemical analyses, and the examination of recent drilling data, I aim to decipher the nature and mode of formation of this enigmatic agglomerate. Additionally, I seek to explore its potential correlation with the initiation of the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin, examining the role of the giant Archean Caldera eruption and its implications for the broader understanding of basin development. This research not only contributes to our understanding of the Archean geodynamic evolution in the Gadwal Greenstone Belt but also sheds light on the significant geological processes that may have shaped the western margin of the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin.