INSA National Report on Seismological  Research in India: 2019 – 2022        

Abstract

The Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the National Adhering body representing India in the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), submits a National Report to the IUGG during its General Assembly, held every four years. The present chapter is a compilation for the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI), one of the eight Associations of the IUGG, encompassing the scientific activities carried out in the country during 2019-2022, in the field of seismology. The chapter is arranged to categorize the contributions under internal structure of the Indian lithosphere and sub-lithospheric mantle, crust and upper mantle deformation, seismic attenuation, seismic hazards, triggered seismicity, environmental seismology, paleoseismology and seismological networks. In addition, the chapter includes activities related to societal projects and outreach programs. It is not an exhaustive review of the entire Indian contribution to seismology and allied fields during this period but a window to the topics covered within the framework of IASPEI.During the reporting period, researchers from several Indian R&D and Academic Institutions continued adding new results on the crustal and upper mantle structure of the Indian shield, both at regional and geological province scale. The Himalaya has been a major focus of seismological research for many Institutes who operated broadband seismological networks from Kashmir to Arunachal along the Himalayan arc. The data from these networks have facilitated in enhancing our understanding of the structure of the Main Himalayan Thrust, crustal and upper mantle structure as well as the dip of the underthrusting Indian plate, seismicity monitoring, and estimation of attenuation. Some of these networks also include accelerographs for strong ground motion studies. A few studies also focused on mapping of the mantle transition zone beneath the Indian Ocean Geoid Low. The studies on anthropogenic seismicity added near-field investigations in the Koyna -Warna region through borehole seismology. Organization of the Joint Scientific Assembly of IAGA and IASPEI during 21-27 August 2021 (JSA-2021) was a major event during this period related to the IUGG activities. Originally, the event was planned to be hosted at Hyderabad, India, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was organized in virtual mode. Initiatives have been taken to nucleate the field of environmental seismology in the country.