PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

At the end of the course the student will acquire knowledge and comprehension on:

• Earth interior and structure, dynamics and plate tectonics processes;
• Main active endogenous and exogenous geological processes;
• Rock Cycle;
• Mechanisms and control factors of the landscape evolution .

The student will also acquire his/her own abilities:

• in classifying the main rocks types and related genetic processes;
• in using the topographic maps;
• in interpreting the landforms from topography;
• in drawing topographic profiles

The student will be introduced to the satellite data interpretation to recognise landforms and surface active processes.

The course consists of a 42-hours lectures teaching module, to provide knowledge of theoretical aspects, supported by two 36-hours laboratory and exercise modules, for acquisition of the pratical abilities.

Lectures Teaching Module (6 cfu/42 hours)

• Physical properties of the Earth
• Orientation in the space and on the Earth surface
• The Geosphere and its components and structure: the solid Earth, the Hydrosphere and the Atmosphere
• MInerals and rocks
• Lithogenetic processes
• Criteria for rock recognition
• Physical geography and Geology of Continents and Oceans
• The Geologil Provinces
• Plate Tectonics
• Seismicity and Magmatism at global scale
• Rock cycle
• Dynamics of the Atmosphere and morphoclimatic zones
• Climate changes
• Endogenous and Exogenous processes of the relief evolution
• Isostasy
• Landforms and Landscapes
• Landscape and geology
• The sedimentary cycle
• Vulcanism
• Metamorphism
• Rock deformation: faults and folds
• Earthquakes and their effects
• Geochronology and evaluation of the velocity-rate of long-lived geological processes

Lab module on cartography and topography (3 cfu; 36 hours) (Prof. Giorgio De Guidi)

• Use of topographic maps
• Analysis and intepretation of topographic maps
• Elements of digital cartography
• Analogue models
• Recognition of landforms
• Landscape analysis from topographic maps

Lab/exercise module on use of topographic maps (3 cfu; 36 hours) (Prof. Stefano Catalano)

• reading the topographic maps
• map scale determination
• Geographic Coordinate determination of a point
• Distance and slope measurement
• Orienting lines and surfaces on map
• Use of the compass
• Constructing topographic profiles
• Reading and interpreting landforms and landscape

1. D. DUFF – Principi di Geologia Fisica di Holmes – Ed. Piccin

2. E. LAVAGNA, G. LOCARNO – Geocartografia. Guida alla lettura delle carte geotopografiche. Ed. Zanichelli.

3. E. LUPIA PALMIERI, M. PAROTTO - Il Globo terrestre e la sua evoluzione (sesta edizione) – Ed. Zanichelli

4. J. P. GROTZINGER, T. H. JORDAN - Capire la Terra. Terza edizione italiana condotta sulla settima edizione americana A cura di Elvidio Lupia Palmieri, Maurizio Parotto. Ed. Zanichelli.

5. SAURO, MENEGHEL, BONDESAN , CASTIGLIONI - Dalla carta topografica al paesaggio – Atlante ragionato. Editrice ZetaBeta s.r.l. - Vicenza