Geomorphic Study of Post-Impact Landscape Evolution of the CIE Mesa, Dhala Impact Structure, Madhyapradesh, India

Abstract The CIE Mesa within the Dhala impact structure of Madhya Pradesh, India presents a unique opportunity to investigate the long-term geomorphic evolution of an ancient impact site within a cratonic setting. Despite its origin in a Paleoproterozoic meteorite impact, much of the original crater morphology has been obscured by prolonged post-impact erosion and subsequent sedimentary processes. This study integrates field observations, detailed stratigraphic logging, and geomorphic mapping to reconstruct the erosional history of the CIE Mesa and its surrounding landscape. The analysis focuses on the spatial distribution of denudational remnants, Fluvial incision patterns along radial drainage networks, and the relationship between mesa topography and underlying lithologies to understand mechanisms of slope retreat and landscape modification over geological time. Findings reveal that differential weathering and fluvial incision have significantly reworked the crater’s original topography, reducing its expression to a subdued basin and isolating the mesa as a resistant geomorphic remnant. These insights enhance our understanding of how ancient impact structures evolve in tectonically stable terrains and provide a framework for comparing erosion signatures among other deeply weathered craters worldwide.