Course content

The course offers a summary of the Earth’s geological evolution in the context of plate tectonics. Based on the concept of the Wilson Cycle, we will get an overview of the geological processes that are at work in the Earth´s principal tectonic environments, such as rifts, rifted margins, oceanic ridges, subduction zones and mountain belts.

After brief reminders about basic geological concepts, we will get an in-depth knowledge about the Earth interior, through insights into the seismology, gravity, isostasy disciplines. The mechanisms of plate tectonics will be investigated, discussing the physical forces that control mantle convection, and its dynamical interaction with the plates.

The course will then provide an overview of the most important tectonic regimes, as we understand them today: divergence (rifts, rifted margins, including onshore and offshore examples), convergence (subduction, mountain belts), accretion (oceanic ridge, oceanic crust, ophiolite, transform faults, fracture zones).

The exercise sessions will focus on:

1. Seismic interpretation of archetype examples of rifts and rifted margins.

2. Tectonic plate reconstructions with an introduction to the GPlates software.

3. Reading of dedicated scientific literature.

4. Oral presentation and scientific communication of acquired knowledge: Each student will be assigned a special topic that they will present in the form of a short seminar containing an oral presentation and a group discussion.

Learning outcome

The aim of the course is to give fundamental knowledge about the various tectonic environments (rifts, rifted margins, subductions, mountain belts, oceanic ridges) with insights into the related physical processes.

In addition, the course provides explanations on how to read scientific papers, how to write reports and how to do oral presentations.

Knowledge: The candidate can explain the main tectonic regimes on Earth, the geological processes that operate in these regimes and the most common methods used in the mapping and understanding of these processes.

Skills: The candidate is able to identify and describe the tectonic regimes responsible for a set of geological or geophysical observations and put these into a regional framework. The candidate can proceed to the interpretation of large-scale seismic reflection profiles imaging rift and rifted margin settings. The candidate can use the GPlates software to investigate tectonic plates reconstructions back in time.

General competence: The candidate can place local observations into a regional context, evaluate the different data types and methods used to understand the regional geology and discuss the interaction between tectonic and other geological processes that have contributed to the shaping of the geology of a region.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory exercises, group work and presentation.

Compulsory assignments

• Oral presentation and participation in group discussion
• Exercises

Required previous knowledge

TGB4100 Geology, Introduction and TGB4150 Structural Geology, Basic Course.

Course materials

Selected scientific papers, lectures and exercises. .