69723 - Tectonophysics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will possess advanced knowledge about evidences and models of geodynamical phenomena concerning the Earth interior. In particular, the student will be able to interpret the rheological behaviour of the Earth interior and to constrain large-scale processes (topographic load compensation, post-glacial rebound, subduction zones) with taking into account surface data.

Course contents

Earth interior rheology: the time scale effect.

Properties of rock deformation. Rheological stratification of the Earth. Visco-elastic solids, constitutive relationships: analogue models, formulation for a linear, isotropic material and transcription in the Laplace space. Quasi-static problems and correspondence principle.

Solid-state creep.

Ductile behavior of rocks on the basis of microphysics processes. Experimental and geological evidences. Linear and nonlinear rheology. Viscous, viscoelastic and plastic models for the study of the rheology of the crust, lithosphere and mantle. Folding.

Lithospheric plates.

Elastic lithosphere. Lithospheric flexure due to horizontal and vertical loads, application to subduction processes. Gravitational effects of the lithospheric flexure: compensation ratio. Stress diffusion. Subduction angle.

Mantle rheology.

Lithosphere and asthenosphere. Thermal lithosphere. Estimate of the shear stress in the Earth mantle. Mantle viscosity, determination from the study of post-glacial rebound data.

Readings/Bibliography

-D.L. Turcotte, G. Schubert. Geodynamics. Second or Third Edition, Cambridge University Press.

Lecture notes concerning the rheology of the interior of the Earth and Solid-state creep will be available online (Insegnamenti online IOL)

Teaching methods

Lessons, ercises in the lecture-hall.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment consists of an oral examination in presence of the teacher and another expert person. The oral examination lasts about 45'. The examination tends to evaluate the fulfilment of the Course learning outcomes:

-Knowledge about the rheology of the Earth interior.
-Knowledge of main evidences that allow constraining geodynamic processes and the rheology of the Earth interior.
-Knowledge of modelling of geodynamic processes and related inferences about Earth Interior features.

The final score of the course of Tectonophysics is determined as the average of the scores obtained by answering three questions about the main Course subjects.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Elina Belardinelli