Natural Sciences

Introduction: historical development of knowledge in Earth Sciences (2 hours) First acquaintances, catastrophist theories, plutonists and neptunists, actualism. Continental drift, Wagner and the evidence of the horizontal mobility of the earth's crust. Failure to identify the "engine". War and post-war technological advancement and new data for the affirmation of the theory of tectonics of lithospheric plates. Geological time (2 hours) Slowness of geological processes. Diversity of time and physical scales in the evolution of the Earth. Relative and absolute dating. Geochronological methods. Mass extinctions and the chronostratigraphic scale. The Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic and Quaternary eras The internal structure of the Earth (6 hours) Seismic waves, reflection and refraction; main surfaces of discontinuity and internal structure of the Earth (crust, mantle, outer and inner core). Rheological differentiation: lithosphere and asthenosphere. Continental and oceanic lithosphere. The Earth's gravitational field: instruments and units of measurement. Isostasia and the roots of the continents. The Earth's magnetic field: origin, variations and inversions. Paleomagnetism, apparent pole migration and ocean floor expansion. The internal heat of the Earth: geothermal gradient and heat flux. Origin of the internal heat of the Earth. The anchored geotherm. The dynamics of the lithosphere (4 hours) Convective flows and hot spots. Characters of lithospheric plates and continental margins. Diverging margins: rifting and lithospheric thinning, structure of a passive continental margin. The ocean ridges. The converging margins: subductions, arch-trench systems, back-arc basins, accretionary prisms, ophiolites, orogenic chains. Limits of plaque transform. Rocks and genetic processes (6 hours) The rocks and minerals that constitute them. The rock cycle: melting (anathexis), crystallization, metamorphism, erosion, transport, sedimentation and diagenesis. Igneous rocks and their placement: types of magma and their origin. Volcanism, effusive and explosive eruptions, central and fissural. Phreatomagmatic eruptions. Types of products: Lava and pyroclasts. Calderic collapses. Metamorphic rocks and metamorphism: metamorphic processes and types of metamorphism. Metasomatism. Characteristics of metamorphic rocks, concept of metamorphic facies and metamorphic degree. Sedimentary rocks and sedimentation environments: Weathering and degradation, erosion, transport, sedimentation, diagenesis. Concepts of stratigraphy and fossilization (4 hours) Sedimentary environments and the concept of depositional facies. Principles of stratigraphy: original horizontality, overlap, intersection, lateral continuity, fauna association and Walther's law. Recordability of geological events, sedimentary structures and fossilization.

Basic knowledge of physical geography, physics and chemistry at the upper secondary school level

J.P. Grotzinger & T.H. Jordan – Capire la Terra – Zanichelli III edizione italiana E. Lupia Palmieri & M. Parotto – Il globo terrestre e la sua evoluzione – Zanichelli Il corso si svolgerà attraverso una serie di lezioni frontali sugli argomenti dell'insegnamento

The evaluation of the acquired knowledge will take place through an oral test. There are ongoing tests with questions that provide open or multiple answers on the topics of the course.

Introduction: Historical background of Earth Sciences (2 hours) First knowledges on Earth Sciences, catastrophism, plutonism, neptunism and actualism theories. Continental drift. Wagner and the horizontal movements of the Earth crust. Theory of Plate tectonics. The engine of plate tectonics. Geological Time (2 hours) Speed of geological processes. Diversity of time and physical scales in the evolution of the Earth. Relative and absolute dating of geological events. Geochronological methods. Mass extinctions and the chronostratigraphic chart. Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic and Quaternary Era. Earth Structure (6 hours) Seismic waves, reflection and refraction; seismological discontinuities and Earth structure (crust, mantle, outer and inner core). Rheological differentiation: lithosphere and asthenosphere. Continental and oceanic lithosphere. Earth gravitational field: gravimeters and units of measurements. Gravity anomalies and their meaning. Isostasy and continental roots. Earth magnetic field: origin, variations and inversions. Paleomagnetism, apparent polar wandering and oceanic spreading. Earth heat production and origin. Geothermal gradient and heat flux. The Earth Geotherm. Lithosphere Dynamics (4 hours) Convective fluxes and mantle plumes. Physical structures and evolution of lithospheric plates and their boundaries. Divergent plate boundaries: rifting and lithospheric thinning, middle oceanic ridges, continental passive margins. Convergent plate boundaries: subduction zones, volcanic arc system, back-arc basins, accretionary prisms, ophiolites, orogenic belts. Conservative plate boundaries. Rocks and genetic processes (6 hours) Rocks and rock-forming minerals. Lithogenetic cycle: fusion, crystallization, metamorphism and anatexis, erosion and sedimentation. Igneous rocks and their emplacement: types of magma and their origin. Volcanism, effusive and explosive eruptions, central and fissure eruptions. Phreatomagmatic eruptions. Types of products: lavas and pyroclastic deposits. Caldera collapses. Metamorphic rocks: metamorphic processes and types of metamorphism. Metasomatism. Metamorphic textures. Metamorphic facies and grade. Sedimentary rocks and depositional environments: physical and chemical weathering, erosion, transport, sedimentation, diagenesis. Elements of Stratigraphy and fossilization (4 hours) Depositional environments and Concept of facies. Principles of stratigraphy: horizontality and stratigraphic overlapping, principle of intersection, lateral continuity, stratigraphic correlations and Walther’s law. Sedimentary structures and fossilization.

knowledge of physical geography, physics and chemistry at post secondary level

J.P. Grotzinger & T.H. Jordan – Capire la Terra – Zanichelli III edizione italiana E. Lupia Palmieri & M. Parotto – Il globo terrestre e la sua evoluzione – Zanichelli

The course will be performed through lectures on the topics of teaching

Optional

The final exam consists of an oral test with questions on the main topics of the course

J.P. Grotzinger & T.H. Jordan – Capire la Terra – Zanichelli III edizione italiana E. Lupia Palmieri & M. Parotto – Il globo terrestre e la sua evoluzione – Zanichelli

The course will be performed through lectures on the topics of teaching