AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with the basics of geology. Students must be able to understand, interpret and compare different rock outcrops through the application of classical analytical methodologies of geology (direct / indirect observation of textural and structural characters, analysis of phenomena, correlation at different scales of the observed processes) . From the analysis of the various rocky bodies, students are expected to know how to differentiate them, place them in space and time, evaluate their tectonic and environmental structure in order to create a geological evolutionary model that has occurred over time. The final objective is therefore the formulation of the evolution over time of a given geological area

TEACHING METHODS

Acquisition of the fundamental bases of geology through frontal lessons and through field exercises. Lectures (via power point) are all uploaded to the web room and are updated for each academic year. The exercises in the countryside are: three of a day (Bonassola, Zoagli and Genova Nervi). Bonassola: geology of magmatic rocks and shoreline dynamics. Zoagli: fragile tectonics and geology of sedimentary rocks. Genoa Nervi: Ductile Tectonics, brittle and geology of sedimentary rocks. Fourth excursion, four days, interdisciplinary with the teachers of Mineralogy and Petrography: this can only be attended by students who have received the credits of Petrography: it is carried out in Southern Tuscany or Insular and covers all the topics held during the various courses mentioned . The student must be able to produce a geological report on one of the four locations of his choice in order to obtain the final grade.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The four fundamental concepts of Geology :: concept of actualism; concept of geometric overlap; geological time concept; concept of direct and indirect observation. Composition of the interior of the Earth: physical characters of the Earth; meteorites; seismic waves their classification and the concept of discontinuity; internal classification of the Earth: The new frontiers of Plate Tectonics: paleontological tests; the geological tests of the tillites; topography of ocean floor; terrestrial heat flow; the triangle of the Afar and geological characters of the divergent margins; Icelandic petrographic and tectonic characters; age ratio of the oceans and continents; the magnetic bands; GPS movement of the plates; the case of Japan; the case of Italy; current displacement vectors of the plates and construction of the magnetic equator; convergent margins: general characters; types of margins and triple conjunctions; geological evidence of subduction: metamorphism of high-pressure chemism of arc magmatism; triple margins: the Sant Andreas Fault and the Alpine model; the concept of time: concept of correlation and dating; relative dating: examples and absolute dating; the concept of chronostratigraphic scale. Geological eras: general characters of the Archaeozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Neogene; Geology of magmatic rocks: types, classification of volcanoes, and their structural characters: Stratigraphy principles; types of environments; sedimentary structures; Tectonics: elastic and plastic behavior; Strength; fragile deformation: types of shear zones; ellipse of the strain and earthquakes; ductile deformation: types of folds and their classification; elements that make up the folds; lineations: types and classification; Elements of geodynamics: Wilson cycle and types of orogenesis: caledonica; Variscan; Alpine; Apennines; current Mediterranean geology; reading geological maps and geologist's tools.

Excursions to: three in one day Liguria (Bonassola: geology of magmatic rocks; Zoagli: fragile tectonics and sedimentary structures; Genoa Nervi: ductile tectonics, fragile and sedimentary structures). A four-day, interdisciplinary with petrography and mineralogy in insular or Southern Tuscany: only students who have received the Petrography credits can participate: the entire program is covered.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The copies of lessons are Avaliable on AulaWeb (Power Point)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FRANCO ELTER (President)

MICHELE PIAZZA

ANTONINO BRIGUGLIO (President Substitute)

LAURA GAGGERO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

According to the University's timetable

Class schedule

GEOLOGY

EXAMS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The student must be able to evaluate, describe and measure all the primary and secondary structures of any outcrop of rocks through the processing of the collected data, their interpretation and the consequent discussion. The result of learning will be verified through the final draft of the surfacing report chosen by the student. 

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Regular attendance is strongly recommended especially for field exercises. Students must provide suitable clothing for hiking (boots), magnifying glass, hard notebook A4 squared