Scienze Naturali, Scienze dei Sistemi Naturali,
Evoluzione del comportamento animale e dell’uomo

Rocks display anisotropies at all scales: mantle vs. lithosphere, continental vs. oceanic crust, basement vs. sedimentary rocks; or lithological units that define km-scale anisotropies. In addition, within the same units we, as field geologist, discriminate different lithologies. As we move to smaller scale, within similar rock types, rock composition or geometric features may define anisotropies, as bedding, layering, foliations. In addition, and with the great plaesure of structural geologists, all these anisotropies, at all scales, are folded, sheared, faulted.
As a consequence, a normal crust or mantle display deformed anisotropies, whatever the scale, rock type or age. As structural geologists, we spend our research to understand how, when, and why they formed, at what conditions (e.g., metamorphic conditions), how much they control metamorphic reactions. So, plenty of interesting questions to be asked.
Today we will use the neutron diffraction-based texture analysis to study different types of crystal aniostropies in naturally deformation rocks. We will describe the influence of the crystallographic preferred orientations (=>texture=>anisotropies) on mechanical and seismic properties. Examples mainly from the Alps, form eclogitic rocks to shallow deformed limestones.

The Speaker: Prof. Michele Zucali - Università degli Studi di Milano

Michele is structural geologist at the Earth Sciences Department of the Università degli Studi
di Milano - La Statale. He studies the relations between deformation and metamorphism in
naturally deformed rocks, mainly from the alpine chain, from high-pressure to high-temperature conditions. He applies quantitative texture analysis techniques to study the crystallographic fabrics and combine these results with micro-tomography 3D reconstruction and geometric analysis to study the shape preferred orientation of rocks.

Link to Webinar

Contacts: geoseminar.dst@unito.it