The main objective of the course is the acquisition of the fundamental theoretical knowledge about the deep and shallow geodynamic processes
and the genesis and tectonic evolution of the different geological structures of the Earth planet. The students will develop the capability to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of the geodynamics of the geological structures on a regional scale. The acquired knowledge will be the basic tools for applications in other disciplines of the Earth science (e.g., study of the stability of the geological structures, study of the earthquakes, geothermics). The students will have the opportunity to learn how to write a MatLab code to calculate the main physical parameters of the lithosphere and use softaware (Gplates) for the interactive visualisation of plate-tectonics.

Knowledge of Earth Sciences acquired during the first two
years of the bachelor degree and of basic computer programming.
Propedeutic Exams: Having passed the exams of geology I, geology II,
mineralogy, physics of the solid Earth, and informatics for geosciences.

Earth’s interior, structure and thermophysical properties of the crust and lithospheric mantle. Rheology, strength and effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere. Hot spots, mantle plumes, and igneous magmatic
provinces. Plate tectonics and boundary forces. Structure and
geodynamics of the oceanic ridges and subduction zones. Mechanisms of formation and tectonics of the orogens and sedimentary basins. Presentations of regional cases of study.

1. Global Tectonics, eds. Kearey, Klepeis and Vine, Wiely-Blackwall. 2. Geodynamics of the lithosphere ed. K. Stuwe, Springer. 3. Treatise on Geophysics, Crust and Lithosphere Dynamics (Volume 6), Eds. A.B Watts and G. Schubert 4. Plate Tectonics Eds. W. Frisch, M. Meschede, R. Blakey, Springer. 5. Plate Tectonics, Eds. H. Fossen, C.Teyssier, Cambridge and University Press. 6. Basin Analysis. Principles and application to petroleum play assesment. Eds. Allen e Allen, Wiely-Blackwall.

Earth’s interior, structure and physical properties (main discontinuities, velocity and density variations) of the crust and mantle lithosphere. Heat flux and temperature distribution in the continental and oceanic lithosphere. Rock’s rheology (brittle and ductile regime) strength and elastic thickness of the lithosphere. Implications of the strength/elastic thickness variations on the stability and geodynamic evolution of the geological structures. Hot spots, mantle plumes, and magmatic
provinces. Effects of the mantle dynamic on the topography. Plate
tectonics, types of margins and boundary forces. Structure and
geodynamics of the oceanic ridges and subduction zones. Mechanisms of formation and evolution of the orogens. Physical properties of the sediments. Sedimentary basins: origin, classification, main structural and evolutionary characteristics. Formation and tectonics of the rift basins. Presentation of regional cases of study.

Lectures showing the theoretical contents of the course and cases of
study, with computer exercises (MatLab script and Gplates software).

Oral exam with questions about all the topics presented in the course and comprehensive of a Power Point presentation illustrating a thematic
research. During the oral exam both the comprehension of the contents
of the course and the exhibition capability are evaluated.

The knowledge of the formation and evolution of the tectonic structures acquired during the attendance of this course, will make it possible to identify and quantify the georesources, which are usually allocated in the uppermost part of the crust. This will help plan the exploitation of the georesources, respecting the environmental conditions of the areas, and achieve the goals of sustainable development.