The course provide the basic knowledge of geology and introduces the student interested to the study and interpretation of sedimentary rocks through the fundamental concepts of stratigraphy and sedimentology.

Introduction to Geology: significance and application. Rocks study earth processes. Age of the Earth. Origin of the Ocean and Continents of the Earth. The Structure of the Earth and Plate Tectonics. Exploring the Earth Using Seismology. Continental and Oceanic crust. Plate Movement. Types of plate boundary: divergent, convergent, transform. Age of Oceanic crust. Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics. Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics. 

Importance of Stratigraphy. Meaning of Lithostratigraphy, Biostratigraphy and Chronostratigraphy. Lithostratigraphy Units. Principles (Laws) of stratigraphy. Methods of Dating Rocks (relative, absolute). Geological time. Polarity of the layers. unconformable Strata. The origin of an unconformity. Types of unconformities. Interpreting a Sequence of Events. Walther's Law of Facies. Transgression and Refression facies shift. Sedimentary basin. Accomodation space/Sediment supply: progradation, retrogradation, and aggradation sequences. Stratigraphic Correlations.

Sedimentary Rocks. The origin of sedimentary rocks. The Sedimentary Process. Clastic Sedimentary Rocks. Classification for clastic sediment and rocks (Wentworth Scale). Conglomerate & Breccia. Sandstone. Pelite (siltstone and claystone). Composition. Texture. Rock component (grains, matrix, cement). Sorting classification. Maturity classification. Maturity & Environment. Color of sedimentary rocks. Carbonate Sedimentary Rocks. Limestone texture. Classification of carbonate rocks. Carbonate diagenesis. Depositional Environments. Evaporite rocks. Evaporation sequence of seawater. Environments for evaporite precipitation. Marine evaporites. Iron-rich sedimentary deposits. Phosphate sedimentary deposits. Siliceous sedimentary rocks. Residual soil material. Sedimentary structures. Reynolds Number. Sediment Transport Mechanisms. Bouma's Turbidite Facies. Froude Number. Lower Flow Regime Bedforms. Ripples Classification (size, morphology, process). Cross-bedding. Erosional structures. Syn- and post-depositional structures. Diagenetic structures. Bioturbation. Burrows. Icnofacies.

Laboratory of geology in the classroom: recognition and interpretation of rocks and sedimentary structures. Will be conducted field excursions.

• Field trips with analysis of the sedimentary succession,
• Lectures class exercises, field excursions

• recognize texture and composition of rock samples
• basic knowledge about the transport mechanisms and types of deposit
• general knowledge of the various sedimentary environments

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

• Attendance

Course books

BOSELLINI, MUTTI & RICCI LUCCHI - Rocce e successioni sedimentarie. U.T.E.T.

CASATI - Scienze della Terra. Elementi di Geologia generale. Ed. Clup

MAC DOUGALL - Storia della Terra. Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi

PRESS & SIEVER - Capire la Terra. Ed. Zanichelli

TUCKER - Rocce sedimentarie, guida alla descrizione sugli affioramenti rocciosi. Ed. Flaccovio, PA.

DORRIK - Sedimentary Rocks in the Field, a color guide - Elsevier Inc.

PROTHERO & SCHWAB - Sedimentary Geology, an introduction to Sedimentary Rocks and Stratigraphy.

COE - Geological Field Techiques - Wiley-Blackwell