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 modules, to provide knowledge of theoretical aspects, supported by two 36-hours laboratory and exercise modules, for acquisition of the practical abilities.

Lectures Teaching Module 1 (3 cfu/21 hours)(Prof. Rosanna Maniscalco)

• The Geosphere and its components

• Plate tectonics: hot it works

• Rock cycle and plate tectonics

• The lithogenic processes and products

• Sedimentary processes and rocks

• Volcanism: processes and products

• The metamorphism and products

• Seismicity and Magmatism at global scale
  
• Earthquakes and effects
• Rock deformation: faults and folds
• The geochronology and rate of processes 

Lectures Teaching Module 2 (3 cfu/21 hours)(Prof. Stefano Catalano)

• Pyhsical properties of the Earth
• Orienting on the Earth
• Continents and Oceans
• The geological province of Earth
• Dynamics of the Atmosphere and the climat
• Exogenous and Endogenous processes and their interaction
• Landscape and landforms: origin and evolution
• Landforms and geology
• Basics on interpreting landscape

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. Francesco Carnemolla)

• Reading the topographic maps and satellite imageries
• Constructing topographic profiles
  
• Reading and interpreting morphostructural lineaments 

drawing a topographic profile

determining the coordinates of a datum

ability in interpreting topographic maps

The exam is completed by an interview concerning all the topics object of the lectures

Practical test: 

• determining the scale of a map;
• measuring distances;
• measuring the slope-gradient;
• determining coordinates of a datum;
• drawing divides and streams;
• framing a map;
• recognizing landforms;
• illustrating landscape
• drawing a topographic profile

Interview:

At the end  The possible questions of the interview are selected at the end extrapolated of each lectures. The list of the questions will be published on the "Studium" archive of the Catania University