AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the planned educational activities (lectures and activities in the laboratory and on the field) will allow the student to acquire basic knowledge on the geological processes that govern the endogenous and exogenous terrestrial dynamics, and on the composition, structure and genesis of magmatic and metamorphic rocks.

Specifically, the student will be able to:

- know, describe and classify the main types of magmatic and metamorphic rocks;
- distinguish and identify the structures of magmatic and metamorphic rocks, using both theoretical skills and practical and methodological skills acquired during laboratory and field activities;
- know how to link the composition and structure of rocks to specific geological training environments.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of lectures, theoretical and practical exercises in the laboratory and on on the field. Attendance at lectures and laboratory and field exercises is strongly recommended.

Lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations. The laboratory exercises are organized in the presence, eventually with multiple shifts. The laboratory exercises are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures. In particular, the following will be developed:

- group exercises for the macroscopic recognition of magmatic and metamorphic rocks using samples from the DISTAV educational rock collection;
- field exercises for observing and understanding rocks and and their geodynamic context.
The laboratory exercises are held in classrooms equipped with DISTAV specific lighting.

Please refer to the specific AulaWeb application of this course for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation.

"Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.”

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course program includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

- Notes on the compositional and rheological structure of the Earth's interior; main discontinuities, concept of lithosphere and asthenosphere.
- Notes on the composition and chemical evolution of the Earth. Changes in pressure and temperature within the Earth.
- Principles of plate tectonics.
- Outline of Mineralogy. Definition of mineral. Crystal state and amorphous state. Principles of crystallography. Basic concepts of crystal chemistry. Isomorphism and polymorphism. 

- Classification of silicates. Phyllosilicates and asbestos. 
- Magmatic rocks. Rock cycle. Main characteristics of magmas. Classification criteria for igneous rocks. Elements of crystallization and differentiation of magmas. Origin of magmas in the mantle and continental crust. Type of intrusive magmatic bodies and volcanic eruptions. Signs of volcanic risk. Magmatism and geodynamic environments.
- Metamorphic rocks. Metamorphism concept. Types of metamorphism. Metamorphic control factors. Nomenclature and textures of metamorphic rocks; Metamorphism and geodynamic environments.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used during the lessons and other educational material will be available on AulaWeb at the end of each cycle of lessons / laboratory exercises.

The books below are suggested as a supporting text, but students can still use other university level texts. The recommended texts are available and can be consulted at the M.F.N. Library.

G. C. Brown - A.E. Musset, 1985. The inaccessible land. pp. 330, Patron Editore, Bologna.
C.Klein and A.Philpotts - Earth Materials - Cambridge University Press
J.P. Grotzinger and T.H. Jordan - Understanding the Earth - Zanichelli Editore
Stephen Marshak - The Earth portrait of a planet, Zanichelli Ed. Bologna
L.Morbidelli - The rocks and their constituents, Bardi Editore
P.Kearey and F.J. Vine - Global Tectonics, Zanichelli Ed., Bologna

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes will start from September 21, 2020.

Consult detailed timetable at the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

LITOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is unique and integrated for the two modules. For details on the modes, see the main tab.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam is unique and integrated for the two modules. For details on the assessment methods, see the main sheet.

Please refer to the specific AulaWeb application of this course for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Regular attendance at lectures and related laboratory and field exercises is strongly recommended.

"Students with a certification of physical or learning disability filed with the University can find information on support services at the web page https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/studenti-disturbi-specifici-apprendimento-dsa, provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with Learning Disorders." They can also contact Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Distav contact for disabilities."