Macro-charcoal in carbonaceous strata of the Lower Cretaceous of northwest India: remains from the Than Formation, Saurashtra Basin, Gujarat

The record of Cretaceous palaeo-wildfires is rather scarce for peninsular India. We aim to report a detailed macro-charcoal analysis as evidence for palaeo wildfires of Early Cretaceous deposits from India. The macro-charcoal was studied using SEM and classified into three morphotypes based on anatomical characteristics. All morphotypes are probably associated with gymnosperms. These findings constitute a record of macro-charcoal and consequently of palaeo-wildfires for the Lower Cretaceous strata of the Saurashtra Basin, Northwest India.

Automated summary

This study reports the evidence of palaeo-wildfires in the Lower Cretaceous strata of the Saurashtra Basin in Northwest India. Macro-charcoal analysis classified into three morphotypes associated with gymnosperms provides detailed insights into the presence of palaeo-wildfires.