Module: 1 – 3 credits
Composition and internal structure of the Earth. Plate tectonics theory. Introduction to marine geology. Classification of continental margins. Sea-floor spreading. Orogenesis. Earthquakes and their distribution. Main types of rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Classification of rocks. Rocks cycle. Physical properties of sedimentary rocks. Brittle and ductile deformation of lithosphere. Fractures, faults and folds. Types and classification. Subaerial processes: erosion, particle transport and deposition. Lithification, diagenesis, burial. Stratigraphy: basic concepts and principles. Sedimentary dynamic in the space and time. Main sedimentary environments. Physical stratigraphy: lithostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and geological time. Fundamentals of Geological maps.
Module 2 – 6 credits
Coastal systems and main factors influencing their evolution (short and long term). Coastal forms. The main types of coastline and their classification criteria.
Sea level oscillations and their morphological and sedimentary effects on the coasts. Coastal depositional sequences. Quaternary climatic oscillations and glacio-eustatic sea level changes. Vertical movements of the coasts and the relative sea level changes. Tectonic, volcano-tectonic and isostatic processes. The classification of Valentin.
Geomorphological indicators of sea level changes. Palaeo-deposites and marine palaeo-forms. Marine terraces. Coral reefs. Submerging coasts: Rias and Fjords.
Waves: wave generation, action and measurement. Definition of: physiographic unit, traverse and fetch sector, wind regime and wave planes. Waves propagation in shallow waters (shoaling, refraction, breaking, diffraction and reflection phenomena). The longshore currents and sediments transport. Impacts of human structures on coastal drift.
Tides: causes, distribution and main effects on the coasts. Microtidal, mesotidal and macrotidal regimes. Tides measuring. Estuaries and tidal flats.
Beaches: Beach profile and sedimentary structures. The littoral sedimentary balance. Beach morphodynamic classification: reflecting, intermediate and dissipative beaches. Lagoons and ponds. Coastal dunes. Dunes formation. Geographical distribution of coastal dunes. The anthropic impacts and the dune system defense. Spits and lagoon-barrier systems.
Delta and their classification: wave-, tide- and fluvial-dominated delta systems.
Tropical coasts: coral reefs, their distribution and origin. Barrier reefs and mangroves.
The glacial coasts dominated by the. The ice action and the permafrost.
The high coasts and their morphoevolution. Coastal cliffs, wave cut platforms and tidal notches.
Coastal investigation by geophysical prospection methods and borehole analysis.
Present-day climate changes and their impacts on the coasts. Sea level rise and future scenarios. Hydrogeology of coasts and coastal subsidence processes.
Coastal risk: high and low coasts erosion, marine flooding processes. Thematic cartography
ITALIAN VERSION
