Research

Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences

Title :	Microbiology of deep Earth crust of Deccan through Koyna pilot bore hole.
Area of research :	Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Focus area :	Seismology
Principal Investigator :	Dr. Pinaki Sar Principal Investigator department of Biotechnology Indian institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal Kharagpur, West Bengal-721 302, WB Tel: 03222 283754
Timeline Start Year :	2017
Timeline End Year :	2020

Details

Executive Summary :	The abundance of microbial life and sources of energy necessary for àeepsubsurface microbial communities in enigmatic.Here we propose to investigate deep microbial processes and their potential relationship'srem a to geological/geophysical events in granitic subsurface ofK oyna-W arna region ofD eccan traps drilled and sampléd through pilotbore hole drilling.M icrobialdiversity and function within the deep Enrth crustplay criticalrole in ma-lorbiogeochemicalactivitiesofthisplanetandisofgreatimportanceinunderstandingthe biosphere within nutritionally challenged deep granitic bed rock with seism ic activity. Compam d to several internationalprojectsonoceanicandintercontineptaldrillingsthatprovidescientiststolookinsidethedeep bios here of dher granite hosted seism ogenic areas at deep ocean, ourunderstemding otgeomicrobial1! activlties,theircompositionandroleinC,N,Sandotherelementcyclingwithindeejterrestrialsubsurface is very limited.Recent attem ptto drill a pilotbore hole upto 3 km offers an extraordinâry oppo> nity to inveàtigatedeep biosphere ofDeccan traps. Concpmitantto such deep drilling operation, where core snmples areexpectedfrom deep subsurfaceofbeccantfaps(>10û0n!to3000m),thepresentprojectisproposedto explore the microbialdiversity and function across the verticaldept.h up to 3000 m using state ofthe art m etagenom ic approachsThis study w ill attempt to answer m ost of the decadal queqtions of deép life- (hdps://deepcrbon.nevdocumenfdco-decadalrgoals-and-research-questions)usingdeepsubsurfacesnmjlej ofDeccantraps.Alongwithassociated geo -qhemical/zphysical,petrpgraphic,and otherphysicochemical apjroaches,theexploration ofmicrobialâctivlty willallow usto develop comgleteunderstanding ofthe actlvitiesoccurring w ithin deep biosphereofDbccan trapsand within azoneofactlve seism icity
Co-PI:	DrAbhijitM ukherjee Co PrincipalInvestigator Departmen tof Geology and Geophysics IndianInstituteofTçchnology Kharagpur, West Bengal Kharagpur, West Bengal-72i302,FB Telephone:03222 283396 'Fax: j3222255303
Total Budget (INR):	1,68,98,400
Achievements :	• Scientific drilling of 3000-meter-deep borehole at Koyna, India provided an unprecedented opportunity to explore microbial life from interior of the dark, crystalline granitic Earth crust of Archean eon.