IMPG06 - COMPARATIVE SEDIMENTOLOGY

courses

ID:

IMPG06

Duration (hours):

60

CFU:

SSD:

GEOLOGIA STRATIGRAFICA E SEDIMENTOLOGICA

Located in:

PESCARA

Url:

Course Details:

PLANETARY SCIENCES/EARTH OBSERVATION Year: 1

Course Details:

PLANETARY SCIENCES/PLANETARY GEOSCIENCES Year: 1

Course Details:

PLANETARY SCIENCES/PLANETARY SCIENCES AND SPACE EXPLORATION Year: 1

Year:

2025

Course Catalogue:

https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (23/02/2026 - 31/05/2026)

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

understand the principles of sediment transport and recognize the main sedimentary structures;
interpret facies and depositional environments (continental, coastal, and deep-marine);
apply these criteria to terrestrial case studies and, by analogy, to fluvial and aeolian examples in the Martian environment.

Course Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of general geology, stratigraphy/sedimentology, and geomorphology.

Teaching Methods

Lectures complemented by practical exercises and in-class study based on materials provided by the professor, carried out individually and/or in groups; analysis of images and case studies; field activities (or equivalent activities based on datasets/imagery) to link observations, sedimentary structures, and depositional processes. The organization of activities (timing, order of topics, individual/group format, and case studies) is indicative and may be adjusted during the course for didactic and organizational needs; any changes will be communicated through the official course channels (email).

Assessment Methods

Final assessment (written) aimed at verifying students’ understanding of the concepts, including through exercises/case studies. Any in-course tests and/or assignments (individual or group) may contribute to the final grade; format and schedule will be communicated through the official course channels.

Texts

Slides, notes, and supplementary materials (figures, short papers, outcrop images and/or data) will be made available progressively. The bibliography is provided as support and will be indicated by topic; full coverage of all suggested readings is not required.
Facies Models 4 edited by Noel P. James and Robert W Dalrymple, 2010, GEOtext 6, Geological Association of Canada.
Lakes on Mars, Edited by Nathalie A. Cabrol and Edmond Grin, 2010 Elsevier.
Geomorphology of Desert environments, Edited by Anthony J. Parson and Athol D. Abrahms, Second Edition, 1994, Elsevier
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Nichols
Fluvial Sedimentology, Miall, 2006

The course introduces the principles of sediment transport and the interpretation of sedimentary structures, facies, and depositional architectures as key tools to reconstruct the main depositional environments. Examples from continental, coastal, and deep-marine settings are covered, with links to case studies and Earth–Mars analogues (with a focus on fluvial and aeolian processes). The course combines lectures and practical exercises and, where possible, field activities or equivalent activities based on datasets and imagery.
Depending on the course progress and available time, the course may also include applied activities involving individual and/or group work on case studies and materials provided by the instructor.

Course Language

English

More information

This syllabus defines the course learning objectives, expected competencies, assessment methods, and overarching content areas. For didactic and organizational reasons, the professor may make changes to the order of topics, the time allocated to individual modules, the examples and case studies used, and the operational format of certain activities (including fieldwork). Any changes will be communicated in a timely and traceable manner through the official course channels (e.g., email).