Card-index course
Petrography: An introduction to igneous and metamorphic rocks
Pétrographie
Responsible Faculty: Faculty of Geosciences and Environment (FGSE)
Teacher(s): Lukas Baumgartner, Othmar Müntener
Lecturer(s): -
No timetable defined.
Course
Autumn semester
1 hours per week
13 hours per semester
Teaching language(s): French
Public: Yes
Credits: 0
Objective
The basis of the description and interpretation of igneous and metamorphic rocks is taught. Rock are identified by their mineralogy, both macroscopic and microscopic. The significance of mineral assemblages and texture are explored, and mechanisms leading to rock formation deduced. General principles and driving forces are placed in the framework of plate tectonics.
Content
The course is divided into two parts - an igneous and a metamorphic part.
Igneous Petrography:
Metamorphic Petrography: Metamorphism is the result of changing pressure, temperature and rock/fluid compositions. The basic driving forces are explored, placing changes in the above extensive and intensive variables in a tectonic framework. The course explores the systematic mineral reactions occurring in rocks of mafic and pelitic compositions by discussing observed changes in orogenic belts. Special attention is given to the metamorphic history in the European Alps. The exercises and practical work is designed to illustrate the concepts, and to study the petrography of thin sections of typical meatmorphic rocks.
Evaluation
The evaluation of this course is based on graded exercise problems. The two parts of the course are equally weighted. The student is allowed to miss one (1) assignment of each part.
Bibliography
Philpotts, A.R., Ague, J.J: Prinicples of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, 2nd edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 2009
Winter, J.D. An introduction to igneous and metamorphic petrology. 2nd edition, Prentice-Hall, 2006
Programme requirements
Introduction aux sciences de la Terre, Cours+TP
Minéralogie générales, Cours+TP
A basic knowledge of mineralogy, introductory petrology as typically obtained in a first year cours is necessary. Familiarity with a concoscopic microscope is assumed.