ANALYSIS OF GEOLOGICAL AND GEOMORPHOLOGICAL PROCESSES

The course aims to provide students with knowledge of the main geological and geomorphological processes responsible for the shape of the terrestrial landscape. Some basic elements will also be given for reading topographical and geological maps.

At the end of the course the students will acquire knowledge on the following topics:

erosion processes and modeling of terrestrial relief;
transport and sedimentation processes;
lithologies and shapes of the relief;
topographic maps and profiles;
elements of a geological map;
basics of stratimetry;
relationships between strata structure and slope morphology;
classification and macroscopic recognition of the main rock types.

Part I: causes responsible for the shape of the terrestrial relief.

Chemical and physical factors of land erosion; fluvial, glacial, karst forms; sediment transport and deposition processes; relationship between lithotypes and forms of the relief; tectonic processes and relief shapes.

Part II: elements of cartography.

Recognition of relief shapes on a topographic map; topographic profiles. Elements of a geological map; strata orientation; relationships between strata structure and slope morphology.

Part III: lithogenic process; classification and macroscopic recognition of the main rocks.

Volcanic, metamorphic, sedimentary processes; macroscopic classification schemes for rocks; macroscopic recognition of the main volcanic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

1. Pompeo L. Casati - Scienze della terra vol.1 - Elementi di geologia generale

2. Francesco Carraro - Geologia del quaternario. L'evoluzione geologica degli ambienti superficiali

3. Mario Panizza - Elementi di geomorfologia. Pitagora ed.

4. Dispense e “slides” fornite dal docenti