Geological Environments and Structures

A.Y. 2024/2025
6
Max ECTS
48
Overall hours
SSD
GEO/02 GEO/03 GEO/04 GEO/05
Language
English
Learning objectives
The class of Geological Environments and Structures includes three distinct modules, which aim at furnishing fundamental concepts of Earth Sciences, introducing the Earth Systems and its constituents, including the major processes occurring at the Earth's surface and interior. Main topics will be: fundamentals landforms, sediments, tectonic structures, and elements of modern global tectonics useful to acquire the basic knowledge on distribution, geometry, characteristics and relationships of rock bodies in outcrop and subsurface.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students will acquire:
- The ability to recognize the major types of sedimentary and deformed rocks and reconstruct the formation processes.
- The basic knowledge on geological stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy.
- The fundamentals on basin evolutions.
- The main knowledge on tectonic structures at different structural levels.
- The fundamentals of the structure of Earth and geological effects of plate tectonics.
- The fundamentals on endogenous and exogenous processes shaping Earth's surface.
- The ability to identify major landforms and reconstruct their formation process.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The class consists of three different modules dedicated to specific aspects of Earth Sciences.

Module 1 - Earth dynamics and tectonic structures (Prof. M. Roda)
In this module, fundamentals useful to recognize the principal types of deformed rocks and to acquire main knowledge on types of tectonic structures characteristic of different lithospheric levels will be provided, together with the key-concepts useful to individuate the geodynamic environment of their development.
The module is organized into two parts:
A) Elements of modern global tectonics
- Earth internal structure and dynamics.
- Fundamental principles of global tectonics.
- Types of plate active margins (ocean ridges, rifts, transform and strike-slip margins, subduction zones, continental collision, obduction).
- Different types of active margins in the Mediterranean region.
B) Deformation of rocks at different structural levels
- Stress and strain, incremental deformation.
- Main deformation mechanisms at supracrustal, intermediate and deep levels and associated tectonic structures.
- Fundamentals of main brittle and ductile structures and their kinematics.
- Scale of structure analysis: from the granular aggregate (micro-scale) to megastructures (regional-scale).


Module 2 - Stratigraphy and sedimentary geology (Prof. F. Felletti)
In this module, students will be introduced to the major concepts of stratigraphy and sedimentary geology, including the description an interpretation of physical processes controlling the formation of sedimentary rocks (weathering, erosion, transport, deposition, and lithification) and the classification of sedimentary rocks. Attention will be paid to sedimentation in different depositional environments (marine and continental). Definition and operative use of facies and facies classifications in Sedimentary Geology.

A) Facies and sedimentary environments: general concepts and methodologies of analysis
- Erosion and sedimentation: scale and hierarchy of the elements of sedimentary dynamics.
- Control factors on sedimentary dynamics.
- Introduction to the classification of sedimentary rocks
- Introduction to the methods of facies analysis and the study of sedimentary environments.

B) The products of the transport of sediments
- Bedforms and structures generated by unidirectional and oscillatory flows.
- Deposits of subsea landslides and gravity flows.
- The erosional structures.

C) Facies, associations of facies, deposition systems and sedimentary environments
- Sedimentary environments and depositional systems.
- Continental environments.
- Transitional environments.
- Marine and oceanic environments.


Module 3 - Physical geography and geomorphology (Prof. A. Zerboni)
This module includes concepts of Physical Geography and Geomorphology, and will introduce the major endogenous and exogenous processes contributing to shaping Earth's surface and building landforms. The agents in charge of the activation of surface processes will be also illustrated. During lessons, an overview of the major geomorphological processes will be presented, and they will be illustrated analyzing specific weathering, erosional, and depositional landforms.

A) Fundamentals of Physical Geography
- The climate system.
- The major processes of weathering, erosion, transportation and sedimentation.
- The interaction at Earth's surface between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.

B) The major processes in geomorphology
- The Earth's dynamic and endogenous processes.
- The exogenous processes.

C) Processes and landforms
- Structural and lithological control on landforms.
- Physical, chemical, and biological weathering and pedogenesis.
- Dissolution of rocks and karst geomorphology.
- Water-related processes and fluvial geomorphology; evolution of the hydrographic network and identification of erosional and depositional landforms.
- Periglacial and glacial processes and landforms and the effect of ongoing climate change.
- Slope processes and landforms; classification of landslides.
- Basic concepts on human geomorphology.
Prerequisites for admission
No specific prerequisites are required, but basic knowledge on general geological processes and Earth dynamics is preferred. Links to informative material helpful to acquire this basic knowledge will be recommended at the beginning of the class. Supplementary materials will be provided to support students needing to recovery basic knowledge.
Teaching methods
Theoretical lectures (4 CFU) and practical exercises (2 CFU).
Teaching Resources
The following books are suggested, along with the material distributed during lessons:
- Grotzinger J. & Jordan T.H. (2017) Understanding Earth. Freeman & Co.
- Gutierrez M. (2012) Geomorphology. Cambridge Ed.
- Rogers et al. (2008) An Introduction to our Dynamic Planet. Cambrige Univ. Press., 390 pp.
- J.L. Bouchez & A. Nicolas (2021) - Principles of Rock Deformation and Tectonics- Oxford University Press.
- N. Rogers, S. Blake, K. Burton, et alii (2008) - An introduction to our dynamic planet - Cambridge University Press
- Summerfield M. (2015) Global geomorphology. Paperback Ed.
- Bosellini A., Mutti E. & Ricci Lucchi F. (1986) - Rocce e successioni sedimentarie. 395 pp. UTET
- Nichols, G. (2009) - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. Blackwell, Oxford, 419 pp
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be written and will include 3 open questions over the entire program; comments on rock samples or geological images (those showed during lessons) may be included. The evaluation will be up to 30 points, the examination is positive once gained at least 18/30.
GEO/02 - STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY - University credits: 2
GEO/03 - STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY - University credits: 2
GEO/04 - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY - University credits: 1
GEO/05 - ENGINEERING GEOLOGY - University credits: 1
Lessons: 48 hours
Shifts:
Professor(s)
Reception:
Mon-Fri, 9-11.
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra "Ardito Desio", Via L. Mangiagalli 34, 20133 Milano