GEOLOGY
cod. 00464

Academic year 2017/18
2° year of course - Annual
Professor
Academic discipline
Geologia stratigrafica e sedimentologica (GEO/02)
Field
Discipline di scienze della terra
Type of training activity
Characterising
63 hours
of face-to-face activities
9 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Learning objectives

At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:- possess the basic knowledge of the physical structure of the Earth and its superficial and deep geological processes
- know the methodologies and basic approaches of the geological survey
- know how to describe and classify the main rock types
- have acquired an integrated and dynamic vision of Earth, of its evolution over time, and of the relationships between biotic and abiotic components
- know how to read and interpret geological and geo-scientific maps
- know how to read and understand the geological and morphological characteristics of a territory
- possess the basic knowledge of the structure and geological history of the Earth and, in particular, of the Mediterranean area

Prerequisites

none

Course unit content

The course of GEOLOGY is aimed at providing the students of the 3 years degree in Natural and Environmental Sciences the basic theoretical knowledge of the processes and geological structures of the Earth, both at surface and at depth, their evolution through the time and the their role in defining the characteristics of modern natural environments. During the course, practical laboratory activity will be held for the recognition of rocks, reading of geological maps; short field trips will be organized for understanding the geological features of the territory. The course will provide the students with the knowledge of the main geological survey techniques. The course is also aimed at the knowledge of the geological (hydrogeological, seismic, volcanic) and climatic risks, of the actions for their mitigation and, more generally, to provide tools for the diffusion of the geological culture.

Full programme

- Time and environmental changes: the geological perspective
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- The structure and internal processes of the Earth
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- The Origin of Life - The Earth as a Self-Regulated System: the Gaia hypothesis
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- The rocks and their genetic processes: Igneous and metamorphic rocks
Sedimentary rocks
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Rock description and classification
ID: Applied knowledge and understanding skills- Basic Stratigraphy and rock dating techniques
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Rock deformation
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Geological maps: read and use
ID: Applied knowledge and understanding skills- Reading and understanding of scientific texts
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Structure and language of scientific reports
ID: Knowledge and Applied Capabilities, Communication Skills;- Plate tectonics and Geodynamics
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Geological and climatic risk-introduction to environmental geology
ID: Knowledge and understanding skills- Geological evolution of Alpine and Apennine systems (with field trips)
ID: Applied knowledge and understanding skills

Bibliography

Didactic material (slide, scientific articles) made available on the webSuggested text book:Gotzinger J., Jordan T.H. – Capire la Terra - Zanichelli, Bologna

Other suggested texts

Ricci Lucchi F. – La Scienza di Gaia – ambienti e sistemi naturali visti da un geologo – Zanichelli, Bologna)

Bosellini A. - Storia geologica d'Italia Gli ultimi 200 milioni di anni - Zanichelli, Bologna

Lovelock J. – Gaia, nuove idee sull’ecologia – Bollati Boringhieri

Lovelock J. – Le nuove eta’ di Gaia – Bollati Boringhieri Altre letture

Hallam A. – Le grandi dispute della Geologia – Zanichelli, Bologna

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures with multimedia tools, practical application of concepts through individual and group exercises in the classroom and on the field

Assessment methods and criteria

Examination through:- written mid-term test including the description and classification of three rock samples and open answers to multiple choice questions related to the first part of the program (ID: Knowledge and Capability of Understanding); this test assigns a maximum of 3 points for each question/exercise up to a maximum of 30; the correct classification of rocks is considered as preliminary to the outcome of the test and will be repeated in case of insufficient result;- a final oral exam including questions on the remaining part of the program (ID: knowledge and understanding) and the presentation and discussion of a brief written (or multimedia) report about field trips or other assigned topics (ID: Knowledge and Capacity Of Applied Understanding, Communication Skills)The final vote will result from the arithmetic mean of the scores obtained in the two tests

Other information

Information on the content of the course (see below) are associated with the relative "Dublin Indicators" (DI) that characterize their purposes.
Dublin Indicators:
- Knowledge and understanding;
- Applying knowledge and understanding;
- Making judgements;
- Communication skills;
- Learning skills.