2017/2018

2018/2019

DM270

GEO/04 (PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES

PERCORSO COMUNE

2°

1st semester (01/10/2018 - 18/01/2019)

9

86 lesson hours

Italian

WRITTEN TEST

PELLEGRINI LUISA (titolare) - 6 ECTS
SEPPI ROBERTO - 3 ECTS

Knowledge of Physical Geography and Cartography. In particular, knowledge about climate, hydrosphere and cryosphere is needed. It should also be able to read and understand a topographic map

Knowledge of landscape and understanding of landscape processes and evolution. Interpretation skill of topographic maps in geomorphologic key. Identifying and interpretation skill geologic and geomorphologic elements on aerial mono and stereoscopic images and drawing skill a simple geomorphologic map.

Lectures: Landscape building and landscape carving. The drivers of landscape changes. The chemical and physical weathering. Mass wasting and runoff. The landslides. Running water activity. Fluvial sediment: transport, deposition and landforms The talweg, the equilibrium profile. Streams and river valleys. Meanders and fluvial diversion. Fluvial terraces. Glacial morphology. Landforms from glacial erosion and deposition processes. Periglacial processes and landforms. The wind: Deserts and subarid morphology. Pediments and glacis. Coastal processes and morphology. Waves, littoral streams. Coastal classification. Karst processes. Surface and underground topography. Photointerpretation in Earth Sciences. Aerial photo acquisition and characteristics. Stereoscopes and stereoscopic vision. Geological and geomorphological interpretation.
Laboratory: Reading and interpretation of topographic maps in geomorphologic key. Field geomorphological analysis.
Reading and interpretation of topographic maps in geomorphologic key. Field geomorphological analysis.
Training recognition of landscapes and landforms, rocks, structures, through the use of mono and stereo aerial images.

The course includes lectures, laboratories and field work. Lectures are based on slides presentations, which are available for the students on the Moodle platform KIRO. During the laboratory activities students are guided in the analysis of the topographic surface toward the identification of landforms on topographic maps relating to various geographical-physical environments. In the photo-interpretation laboratory, students learn to correctly setup pairs of stereoscopic aerial photographs to identify and interpret landforms in 3D vision.
A field laboratory will aim to observe and evaluate landforms and processes analyzed during lectures
The attendance is strongly recommended especially in laboratories.

Castiglioni G.B., 1979. Geomorfologia. UTET. Torino
Ciccacci S., 2015. Le forme del rilievo. Mondadori Università, Firenze
Derruau M., 1967 – 1988. Précis de Géomorphologie. Masson Ed. Paris
Stralher A.N., 1984. Geografia fisica. Piccin. Padova
Slaymaker O., Spencer T., Embleton-Hamann C., 2009. Geomorphology and Global Environmental change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Summerfield M.A., 1991. Global geomorphology. Longman Scientific & Technical
Sauro U., Meneghel M., Bondesan A. e Castiglioni B., 2005. Dalla carta topografica al paesaggio. Atlante ragionato. ZetaBeta Ed.
http://www.igmi.org/pubblicazioni/atlante_tipi_geografici/consulta_atlante.php
Amadesi Eraldo, 1982. Atlante aerofotografico. Pitagora Ed. Bologna
Spagna Valerio, 2002. Aerogeologia. Pitagora Ed. Bologna. con CD-rom
Way D.S., 1973. Terrain analysis. Doweden. Hutchinson & Ross, Inc. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

The learning will be verified through a written test on theory and practical tests of interpretation of topographic maps and stereoscopic aerial photographs. The tests will be aimed to verify the understanding of the theoretical concepts and the terminology used during the lectures, the property of language, the capacity of synthesis, the ability to recognize landforms from the topographic maps and in the three-dimensional images.
The theory test consists of various types of questions:
Questions True / false.
Questions that ask to indicate the meaning or define specific terms.
An application that requires the recognition of patterns that must be defined and/or illustrated.
Some open questions that require a brief description of topics covered during lectures.
The practical tests consist in identifying, interpreting and tracing geological-geomorphological elements on a topographic map or on aerial stereoscopic photographs.
During the laboratories and lectures, examples of the examination will be presented.

There are two tutors required to help students during the laboratories and individual practical activities of recognition of landscape forms and other geological elements on topographic maps and aerial photographs.