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CODE 52415
ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR GEO/04
LANGUAGE Italian
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER 1° Semester
PREREQUISITES
Propedeuticità in uscita
Questo insegnamento è propedeutico per gli insegnamenti:
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • ELEMENTS OF GEORESOURCES 61663
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GEOSTATISTICS FOR NATURAL RESOURCES 101741
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • ENGINERING GEOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION 62223
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • EARTHQUAKES DYNAMICS 98685
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • ENGINERING GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 62222
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • OCEANOGRAPHYC MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS 61674
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • TRAINING AND ORIENTATION APPRENTICESHIP 104621
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • ELEMENTS OF HYDROLOGY AND APPLIED METEOROLOGY 61673
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS 65849
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GEOLOGICAL MAPPING 80250
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GEOMORPHOLOGY 65682
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGICAL MAPS 80251
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • OPERATIVE GIS TOOLS 98963
  • Earth Sciences 8763 (coorte 2020/2021)
  • GEOMORPHOLOGICAL MAPPING AND CARTOGRAPHY 104651
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

Physical Geography, with the support of the fundamentals of cartography, aims to provide the basis for reading the earth's landscape and understanding its evolution. The lectures highlight the relationships between the various components of the environment, in particular physical (atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere), and the anthropic influence (impact) on these components and on the shaping of the landscape itself.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The purpose of the Physical Geography is to explain the characteristics of the various natural phenomena associated with the Earth's: hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. The cartography provide the foundation for reading topographic maps: these are the basis for the studies on the ground and tools to understand the environment from the physical point of view.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the planned training activities (lessons, exercises) will allow the student to acquire the general knowledge of Physical Geography and Cartography necessary to undertake studies in the field of the profession of geologist and scientific research in the fields of Earth Sciences.
Specifically, the student will be able to
- know the general principles of cartography and physical geography;
- read topographic maps to interpret and measure the shapes of the terrain;
- connect atmospheric phenomena in order to understand the distribution of climates on the Earth's surface in relation to geographical factors and their interaction with anthropic activities.

 

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons will be carried out if possible in presence, guaranteeing the fruition of the lessons also at a distance, through video recording, synchronous or asynchronous. The laboratory exercises will be organized if possible in presence, possibly with several shifts. All activities in presence will be carried out in compliance with the capacity limits of the classrooms/laboratories and the distance between them, as provided for by the regulations in force following the COVID19 emergency.

The teaching is composed of frontal lessons, theoretical-practical exercises. As learning tests and activities for the application of the acquired knowledge are foreseen, attendance at lessons and exercises is strongly recommended.

Frontal lessons are delivered through multimedia presentations. 

The exercises are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures. In particular they will be developed:

- cartography exercises for the recognition of contour lines and lanforms;
- exercises for the determination of the elevation of a point on the topographic map
- exercises on topographic maps for the calculation of the steepness and inclination of the terrain, measurement of distances and areas according to the different scales of representation; 
- exercises for the recognition and calculation of geographical and kilometric coordinates (U.T.M., Gauss-Boaga);
- exercises for the calculation and representation of meteorological and climatic data.
The exercises are carried out in the classroom providing students with supporting cartographic material (IGMI topographic maps at 1.25000 scale and regional technical maps (CTR RL) at 1:10000/5000 scale).

Please refer to the AulaWeb instance specific to the teaching for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course programme includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics
Elements of Cartography:
* Maps and concept of scale (numerical and graphic)
* The geographical projections. Shape and size of the Earth
* The cartographic symbolism 
* Principles for the construction of a topographic map
* Determination of the position of a point on the earth's surface. The geographical grid (geographical, kilometric and polar coordinates)
* Geographic North, Magnetic North, Cross-linked North and magnetic declination
* Maps classifications
* Methods of representing the relief. Contour lines.  The topographic profile
* The international cartographic system U.T.M. and Italian cartographic production

Elements of Physical Geography:
* The composition of the atmosphere and the vertical structure of the atmosphere 
* Weather and climate
* Solar radiation and the spatial and seasonal variations of atmospheric heating 
* Atmospheric pressure and winds: general atmospheric circulation 
* Atmospheric humidity - Evaporation - Humidity measurement 
* Condensation - Rainfall 
* Atmospheric flows and perturbations - Air masses - Fronts 
* Climate classification criteria - The climate in Italy
* Overview of the marine system and the continental water system

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

- T. L. MCKNIGHT, D. HESS, Physical Geography. Understanding the landscape (Italian edition edited by Francesco Dramis), Piccin, Padua, 2005.

- A. N. STRAHLER, Geografia fisica, Piccin, Padua, 1984.

- U. Sauro, M. Meneghel, A. Bondesan, B. Castiglioni, Dalla carta topografica al paesaggio, Vicenza, ZetaBetaEdiditrice, 2005.

The slides presented during the lessons and other didactic material  will be available on AulaWeb at the end of each cycle of lessons/exercises. 

 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PIERLUIGI BRANDOLINI (President)

MARCO FERRARI

FRANCESCO FACCINI (President Substitute)

MARCO FIRPO (Substitute)

ANDREA MANDARINO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The lessons of the first semester will begin on September 23, 2019, and will end by January 17, 2020. Lessons in the second semester will begin on February 17, 2020 and will end by June 12, 2020. Please see detailed timetable at the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

EXAMS

Exam schedule

Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note
25/01/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale
08/02/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale
22/06/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale
13/07/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale
02/09/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale
16/09/2021 09:00 GENOVA Orale