Abstract:
The paper presents new palaeomagnetic results and reassesses complete set of published palaeomagnetic results
on the lamproite intrusions in the Gondwana formations of the Eastern India. Altogether eleven sites register
reliable characteristic magnetisations corresponding to the c. 110 Ma emplacement age of the lamproites. A
mean ChRM is estimated with D = 331.3°; I = −62.4° (α95 = 6.2°, k = 55; N = 11). The palaeomagnetic pole
of λ = 14.9°: Φ = 287.6° (A95 = 8.4°) is established for the lamproites and it averaged the secular variation and
confirms to the Geocentric Axial Dipole (GAD). The pole compares remarkably well with the grand mean pole
reported for the Rajmahal traps that are attributed to represent location of the Kerguelen mantle plume head.
The palaeolatitudes transferred to Rajmahal coordinates (25.05°: 87.84°) are situated ∼6° north of the present
location of the Kerguelen hotspot location. The interpretations are consistent with earlier suggestions of
southward migration of the plume based on palaeomagnetic results of Site 1138 of the ODP Leg 183 and with the
predictions of numerical models of global mantle circulation.
