Paleomagnetism of Kamthi Sandstones of Upper Permian age from Godavary Valley, India

The paleomagnetism of fifty-seven rock samples of red sandstones, collected from three sites, belonging to the Kamthi formation of Upper Permian age has been studied. The natural remanent magnetization of most of the samples showed normal polarization with upward dip (declination close to 360° defined as normal). The intensity of magnetization of the samples ranged from 1 to 10 × 10−6 gauss. The samples were demagnetized in peak alternating fields of 50, 100, 200, 400, and 600 oersteds. The grouping of the vectors improved considerably on demagnetization. Mean direction for the three sites after ac cleaning was 306°E and −50°, (up) after applying dip correction. The corresponding virtual geomagnetic pole is situated at 18°N, 53°W. The results are consistent with India's being in the southern hemisphere during Upper Permian times, when it might have been a part of Gondwanaland along with the Continents of Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and South America.