Dr. Prantik Mandal

Chief Scientist , Seismological Imaging

Dr. Prantik Mandal

prantikmandal62@gmail.com

Academic Identity
     

Specialization

Observational Seismology

Research Area

Dr. Prantik Mandal, who was born in 1965, received his M.Sc. (tech) in Applied Geophysics from the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, before entering CSIR-NGRI for a PhD programme in 1989. He joined CSIR-NGRI as Scientist-B in 1994, after completing his PhD at CSIR-NGRI, which was conferred by Osmania University in Hyderabad. He advanced to the position of Chief Scientist in 2015.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dr. Prantik Mandal made significant contributions to the understanding of earthquake genesis and geodynamics in different parts of the Indian subcontinent. He delineated three NNE-SSW trending lithospheric transverse features in the Uttarakhand Himalaya, dividing the region into three major lithospheric blocks and reducing seismic hazards in the Himalayas. In addition, he used block-and-fault dynamics modelling to simulate the maximum hazard in the central Himalayan GAP area and the minimum hazard in Kashmir and Assam. In Kachchh, he convincingly demonstrated the role of mafic crustal plutons and significant crustal and lithospheric thinning as key stress concentrators, with earthquake triggering caused by stress-transfer mechanisms and fluid or volatile CO2 flow mechanisms. He built a 3-D ground motion model, a site amplification map, a sediment thickness map, and attenuation models for the Kachchh rift basin, which resulted in the region's first integrated disaster mitigation approach. His research demonstrated that Archean vertical tectonics dominated crust formation in the Eastern Indian Craton. His research produced a rupture nucleation model of moderate-sized reservoir-triggered earthquakes, which provided a satisfactory explanation for Koyna's ongoing seismicity since 1961. Using 3-D stress modelling, he also quantified the role of topographic variations and density inhomogeneities in the genesis of Indian intraplate earthquakes. He possesses a total of 140 scientific research articles and has received 3296 citations, resulting in an h-index of 35 and an i-index of 86. Under his expert guidance, a total of seven students have successfully obtained their Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the field of geophysics, specifically in seismology. In addition, he authored two books and contributed to three book chapters.

Other Contributions: The research conducted in the Koyna region led to the development of the rupture nucleation model for moderate-size reservoir-driven earthquakes. According to this model, the ruptures or foreshocks originate at a depth of 3 km and propagate downward, resulting in bigger main shocks at depths of 8–10 km. This model has been patented by the USPTO.

Awards and Honors: He has been honoured with multiple accolades, including the National Mineral Award in 2007 and the CSIR YS award in 2000, for his notable contributions to earthquake seismology, specifically focusing on the comprehension of seismogenesis of intraplate earthquakes in India. In 2004, he was awarded a CSIR Raman Fellowship, followed by a Senior DAAD fellowship in 2010 and an INSA-JSPS fellowship in 2011. He was elected a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA) in 2024, the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad (FNASc) in 2020, and the Telangana Academy of Sciences (FTAS) in 2018.

Ongoing Research Projects

Sl. No

Title of Project

Project Category

Participating Agencies

Your role as defined

1

Seismological Imaging [MLP-7009-28(PM)]

In House MLP project

NGRI

Project Leader

Honors & Awards

Honors and Awards:

  • Fellow of Indian National Sciences Academy, Delhi (FNA), 2024
  • Fellow of National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad (FNASc), 2020
  • Fellow of Telangana Academy of Sciences (FTAS), 2018
  • Editor (seismology) for the Journal of Geological Society of India since 2019
  • Professor (2012 onward), Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research at CSIR
  • AcSIR Coordinator at CSIR-NGRI during 2016-1018
  • Thesis Supervisor (2012 onward), recognized by Osmania University of Hyderabad Kachchh University, Bhuj, Gujarat, IIT-ISM, Dhanbad, Jharkhand and IIT, Chennai (top Universities in India)
  • CSIR- DAAD fellowship for senior scientists, 2012
  • INSA-JSPS fellowship for scientists (in Earth-sciences in 2010)
  • National Mineral Award in Disaster Management, 2007
  • Raman Research Fellowship from CSIR, 2004
  • Most Cited Author Award during 2003-2007 from the Elsevier Publication for publishing a paper entitled “Characterization of the causative fault of the 2001 Mw7.7 Bhuj Earthquake, India” in the Tectonophysics, 378, 2004, 105-121.
  • Young Scientist Award in 2000, by CSIR
  • Young Scientist Award in 1995, by ISCA

Publications

A list of ten best research publications during the last 5 years

  1. Cook, K.L., Rekapalli, R., Dietze, M., Pilz, M., Cesca, S., Rao, N. P., Srinagesh, D., Paul, H., Metz, M., Dahm, T., Mandal, P., Suresh, G., Cotton, F., Tiwari, V.M., Hovius, N. (2021). Detection and potential early warning of catastrophic flow events with regional seismic networks, Science 374, 87-92. IF: 47.43 CI 50
  2. Vorobieva, I., Gorshkov, A.I., and Mandal, P. (2021). Modelling the seismic potential of the Indo-Burman megathrust, Scientific report, 11, 21200. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598021-00586-y. IF: 4.6 CI 15
  3. Mandal, P., Kumar, P., Sreenivas, B., Babu, E.V.S.S.K. and Bhaskar Rao, Y. J. (2021). Variations in crustal and lithospheric structure across the Eastern Indian Shield from Passive Seismic source imaging: Implications to changes in the tectonic regimes and crustal accretion through the Precambrian. Precambrian Research 360, 106207, 1-19. IF:4.725 CI 10
  4. Mandal, P., Srinivas, D., Suresh, G. and Srinagesh, D. (2021). Modelling of crustal composition and Moho depths and their Implications toward seismogenesis in the Kumaon-Garhwal Himalaya, Scientific report 11, 14067. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93469-1. IF: 4.6 CI 18
  5. Gorshkov, A.I., Hasan, H., Mandal, P., and Novikova, O. (2022) Identifying potential earthquake sources in the continental environments. Surveys in Geophysics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-021-09683-z . IF 7.965 CI 4
  6. Mandal, P. (2022) Evidence of secular variation in Archean crust formation in the Eastern Indian Shield. Scientific Reports,12:14040. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18372-9 . IF:4.6 CI 4
  7. Mandal, P., Raju Prathigadapa, D. Srinivas, Satish Saha and Gokul Saha (2023) Evidence of structural segmentation of the Uttarakhand Himalaya and its implications for earthquake hazard Scientific Reports, 13,2079. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29432-z . IF:4.6 CI 4
  8. Mandal, P. (2023) The Uttarakhand Himalaya: An image of the main Himalayan thrust, Moho, and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. Journal of Asian earth-Sciences, 253, 105724. IF:3.374 CI 4
  9. Mandal, P., Srinagesh, D., Vijayaraghavan, R., Suresh, G., Naresh, B., Solomon Raju, P., Aarti Devi, Swathi, K., Singh, D. K., Srinivas, D., Saha, S., Shekar, M., Sarma,. A.N.S. and Murthy, YVVBSN (2022) Seismic velocity Imaging of the Kumaon-Garhwal Himalaya, India. Natural Hazards, 111, 2241–2260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-05135-4 . IF:3.7 CI 6
  10. Mandal, P. (2021) Seismic velocity images of a crystallized crustal magma‑conduit (related to the Deccan plume) below the seismically active Kachchh rift zone, Gujarat, India. Natural Hazards, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-05051-7 . IF:3.7 CI 6

 

Books

Books-authored or edited:

 

Author

Name of the book (Monograph)

Editors and (Pub

Research Scholars

Supervision:   7 PhD theses supervised 

                    20 PG (post-graduation) project works supervised&a

Educational Qualification

PhD

Proffessional Experience

Professional Experience:

2015   –        present         Chief Scientist, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad

2010   –        2015             Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad

2006   -         2010             Principal Scientist, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, India.

2002   -         2006             Scientist-E-I, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, India.

1998   -         2002             Scientist-C, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, India.

1994   -         1998             Scientist-B, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, India.

1991   -         1994             Senior Research Fellow, NGRI, Hyderabad, India

1989   -         1991             Junior Research Fellow, NGRI, Hyderabad, India

Proffessional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations:

  • Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA)
  • Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (FNASc)
  • Fellow of the Telangana Academy of Sciences (FTAS)
  • Life Member of Indian Geophysical Union
  • Member of Geological Society of India