Deformation Patterns in the Jonk Conglomerate of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, Bastar Craton, India with Evidence of transpressional deformation

Deformation Patterns in the Jonk Conglomerate of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, Bastar Craton, India with Evidence of transpressional deformation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Deformation Patterns in the Jonk Conglomerate of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, Bastar Craton, India with Evidence of transpressional deformation Meghna Pal Choudhury, Ayan Kumar Sarkar, Sadhana M Chatterjee, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The Bastar Craton, a Neoarchean Precambrian shield in Central India, hosts the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, which contains the Jonk Conglomerate—a 18 km x 6 km metaconglomerate exposed along the Jonk River. This clast-supported polymictic metaconglomerate, with clasts ranging from 0.5 cm to 58 cm, displays a NNW-SSE crude foliation aligned with the regional greenstone belt fabric, indicating syn-deformational emplacement during craton assembly. Petrography reveals greenschist-facies metamorphism (chlorite, sericite), while clast aspect ratios and structural analysis show horizontal sinistral shear and vertical normal compression. Vertical sections further indicate westward upthrown movement, suggesting thrust-driven uplift. Sigma- and delta-type clasts with recrystallized quartz tails reflect progressive non-coaxial strain. Finite strain analysis (Rf/φ, Fry methods) and a Flinn diagram confirm flattening-dominated deformation. Vorticity analysis (PHD method) yields a vorticity number (Wk) of 0.917, consistent with general shear (transpression) combining pure and simple shear. This regime generated oblique sinistral kinematics, aligning with regional tectonics. Prior studies propose multi-phase Bastar Craton deformation: initial N–S compression followed by E–W thrusting. The Jonk Conglomerate’s transpressive fabric, sinistral shear, and flattening-dominated strain suggest it primarily records the later E–W thrusting phase, overprinting earlier structures. Its structural-metamorphic signature thus positions it as a critical archive of the Bastar Craton’s Neoarchean evolution, marked by polyphase deformation during greenstone belt stabilization. Conglomerate Bastar craton Deformation Strain analysis Transpression Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 04 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 04 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 30 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 29 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 22 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 04 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 30 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 28 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 28 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7441768","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":512385046,"identity":"41cd40cb-acc6-4a55-8c55-b36f8cb85387","order_by":0,"name":"Meghna Pal Choudhury","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jadavpur University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Meghna","middleName":"Pal","lastName":"Choudhury","suffix":""},{"id":512385047,"identity":"a1bd8f17-0c9c-4608-ab9a-cf2f8668278e","order_by":1,"name":"Ayan Kumar Sarkar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jadavpur University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ayan","middleName":"Kumar","lastName":"Sarkar","suffix":""},{"id":512385048,"identity":"a799fea0-d347-44fa-ba2e-a7ab522ce999","order_by":2,"name":"Sadhana M Chatterjee","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA0UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJACAxDBDyISCkjRItkA0mJAklUH4LoJAPlphx8U8/yykTM+vzrxwwMDBnl+sQMEDL+dZmDM25dmbHbj7WYJoMMMZ85OIKBFOofBmLfncOK2G2c3gLQkGNwmoEV+NljL/8TNM85u/kGUFobbQC08Pw4kbuDv3UacLSC/GM5tSDaWuMG7zSLBQIKwX+RnJz8zePPHTo6//+zmmz8qbOT5pQk5jIGBzYCxDUhJgFVKEFQOAswPGP4AKf4DRKkeBaNgFIyCEQgAm4tELVG6ceoAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Jadavpur University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sadhana","middleName":"M","lastName":"Chatterjee","suffix":""},{"id":512385049,"identity":"4be4c727-0990-49c7-a2a6-a8c17644c050","order_by":3,"name":"Anirban Manna","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jadavpur University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anirban","middleName":"","lastName":"Manna","suffix":""},{"id":512385050,"identity":"d91149b0-ed10-499b-bce1-48e6f9f7339a","order_by":4,"name":"Alip Roy","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jadavpur University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Alip","middleName":"","lastName":"Roy","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-23 14:08:11","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":91028066,"identity":"b1eb3c5c-fedf-48f3-9b7f-55484946768e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-10 21:39:29","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3264652,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"DeformationPatternsintheJonkConglomerateofSonakhanGreenstoneBeltDiscoverGeoscience.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7441768/v1_covered_e565ed96-5cb2-4b50-b357-fd42516d99db.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eDeformation Patterns in the Jonk Conglomerate of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, Bastar Craton, India with Evidence of transpressional deformation\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-geoscience","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Geoscience](https://www.springer.com/journal/44288)","snPcode":"44288","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44288","title":"Discover Geoscience","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Conglomerate, Bastar craton, Deformation, Strain analysis, Transpression","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe Bastar Craton, a Neoarchean Precambrian shield in Central India, hosts the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, which contains the Jonk Conglomerate\u0026mdash;a 18 km x 6 km metaconglomerate exposed along the Jonk River. This clast-supported polymictic metaconglomerate, with clasts ranging from 0.5 cm to 58 cm, displays a NNW-SSE crude foliation aligned with the regional greenstone belt fabric, indicating syn-deformational emplacement during craton assembly.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePetrography reveals greenschist-facies metamorphism (chlorite, sericite), while clast aspect ratios and structural analysis show horizontal sinistral shear and vertical normal compression. Vertical sections further indicate westward upthrown movement, suggesting thrust-driven uplift. Sigma- and delta-type clasts with recrystallized quartz tails reflect progressive non-coaxial strain. Finite strain analysis (Rf/φ, Fry methods) and a Flinn diagram confirm flattening-dominated deformation. Vorticity analysis (PHD method) yields a vorticity number (Wk) of 0.917, consistent with general shear (transpression) combining pure and simple shear. This regime generated oblique sinistral kinematics, aligning with regional tectonics.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrior studies propose multi-phase Bastar Craton deformation: initial N\u0026ndash;S compression followed by E\u0026ndash;W thrusting. The Jonk Conglomerate\u0026rsquo;s transpressive fabric, sinistral shear, and flattening-dominated strain suggest it primarily records the later E\u0026ndash;W thrusting phase, overprinting earlier structures. Its structural-metamorphic signature thus positions it as a critical archive of the Bastar Craton\u0026rsquo;s Neoarchean evolution, marked by polyphase deformation during greenstone belt stabilization.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Deformation Patterns in the Jonk Conglomerate of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt, Bastar Craton, India with Evidence of transpressional deformation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-10 21:07:22","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7441768/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":1},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-11-04T12:11:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-04T12:09:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-30T06:21:01+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-29T11:48:18+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"106530879618072008488550900548179548182","date":"2025-10-28T05:38:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"243025482513970075659944286943405017341","date":"2025-10-21T23:00:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"239487854871702366543216783417126704676","date":"2025-10-20T04:37:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"66117428736335435793663531596374450720","date":"2025-10-18T13:13:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-09-22T05:50:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"138365189740223112421565872066942526564","date":"2025-09-12T11:37:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"324337064771453308472409263683162560608","date":"2025-09-06T12:31:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-04T06:51:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-30T07:55:08+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-08-29T01:42:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Geoscience","date":"2025-08-29T01:39:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-geoscience","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Geoscience](https://www.springer.com/journal/44288)","snPcode":"44288","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44288","title":"Discover Geoscience","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"37d8e2ea-b2ca-4060-9fe8-76e78d815c7e","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 10th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-05T08:26:35+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-10 21:07:22","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7441768","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7441768","identity":"rs-7441768","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}