2017/2018

2019/2020

DM270

GEO/03 (STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES

PERCORSO COMUNE

3°

1st semester (01/10/2019 - 15/01/2020)

6

54 lesson hours

Italian

ORAL TEST

PEROTTI CESARE (titolare) - 6 ECTS

The course is part of the basic geological formation of students in Geological Sciences. The course does not require prerequisites with other courses of the Degree Course. However, knowledge of the basic concepts of lithology, sedimentology, petrography, physics and mineralogy is required.

Knowledge of Earth's interior and its rheological behavior.
Understanding and analyis of the global tectonics processes. Understanding, analyis and modelling of the physical processes involved in the plate tectonics.
Knowledge of the principal geological features
of the different regions of the Earth, with progressively growing insights on the Mediterranean area, the
the Italian peninsula and Northern Italy (the Alps, the Northern Apennines, and the Padan Plain).
At the end of the course, the student must have an overall view of the principal geological processes that affect our planet and cause constant changes. This knowledge will help to understand the role of individuals and our society in the acquisition of the goal # 15 Life on Earth of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Internal structure of the Earth: The forces acting on lithosphere. Plate tectonics: principle and mechanisms.
Motions of plates on a plane and a sphere. Stability of triple junctions. Geodetic measures of plate movements.
Model Nuvel 1. Hot spots. Magnetism and paleomagnetism of the Earth. Earthquakes and focal mechanisms
solutions for the different types of fault.
Principal tectonic features of the Earth. Cratonic regions: shields and basins. Divergent margins: oceanic ridges
and plains, continental rifting, passive margins. Convergent margins: trench-arc systems. Collisional margins:
thrust and fold systems, metamorphic core, different kinds of mountain chains. Transform margins: strike-slip
and pull-apart basins. European and Mediterranean geology. Introduction to Italian geology. Geology of the
Alps, the Appenines and the Po Plain.

The course consists of lectures and two educational field trips concerning the Alps and Northern Apennines. The lectures will explain the methodologies that are used in geodynamic and regional geology studies and will provide numerous examples from geodynamic regions around the world with particular regard to Italy.

Notes and papers provided by the teacher.

“Geodynamics” D. L. Turcotte & G. Schubert, second edition, Cambridge U Press;

“Tectonics” E. M. Moores & R. J. Twiss, Freeman and Company;

“An introduction to Italian geology” C. Doglioni & G. Flores, Lamisco;

The evaluation will be carried out through a final oral exam to verify the achievement of the educational objectives of the course. The contents of the lectures and educational field trips are the subject of the examination. The ability to communicate and use an appropriate scientific language will be taken into account in the evaluation. Through the discussion the knowledge acquired by the student of the main geodynamic mechanisms that condition the geological feature of the different world regions will be verified. The final assessment is based on the degree of depth and understanding of the topics of the course and on the ability to integrate the knowledge acquired during the study.

The evaluation will be carried out through a final oral exam to verify the achievement of the educational objectives of the course. The contents of the lectures and educational field trips are the subject of the examination. The ability to communicate and use an appropriate scientific language will be taken into account in the evaluation. Through the discussion the knowledge acquired by the student of the main geodynamic mechanisms that condition the geological feature of the different world regions will be verified. The final assessment is based on the degree of depth and understanding of the topics of the course and on the ability to integrate the knowledge acquired during the study.