Unit information: Advanced Fieldwork in 2016/17

Unit name	Advanced Fieldwork
Unit code	EASCM0044
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Rust
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Experience of independent mapping. No specific unit.
Co-requisites	n/a
School/department	School of Earth Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

Students will examine the geological evolution of two geologically contrasting Greek islands: Naxos (metamorphic) and Santorini (volcanic). The unit builds on previous field classes and will provide specific experience in describing and interpreting rock and deposit types they have not seen before.

The island of Naxos consists of a medium-high grade, Barrovian-type metamorphic complex. This part of the unit will provide specific experience and develop skills in recognising and recording metamorphic assemblages and evidence of complex deformation associated with the process of continental thickening and subsequent exhumation and unroofing. The trip will be based around two projects, in which field data are collected and then analysed to address specific questions about the metamorphic and structural evolution of the island.

The Santorini component of the unit emphasises field and physical volcanology. It introduces, in a unique field setting of a flooded caldera with up to 300m cliffs, all the main volcanic rock types and facies, and several types of volcanoes. It also shows how to deduce the means and processes of eruptions from analysis of the ejected volcanic debris. The main aims are to: 1) introduce the field sedimentology, petrology/geochemistry and stratigraphy of typical volcanic rocks, and 2) analyse eruption dynamics and long-term volcano evolution.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit the student will be able to:

• recognise and use various metamorphic minerals and fabrics as a means of estimating metamorphic grade, facies, and protolith type
• develop and gain skills in field petrography in order to recognise relationships between metamorphic mineral growth, fabric formation, and deformation
• analyse field petrographic data to interpret a sequential development of mineral growth and deformation and to generate a metamorphic P-T path
• plan and execute field projects within a defined timescale and produce a report on the outcomes of the work
• integrate field data from different localities in order to interpret the main features of the geological evolution of the island
• describe the diagnostic sedimentological/petrological features of each main volcanic rock deposit type
• provide both summary and detailed logs for any part of a volcano's stratigraphy, including accurately documenting both the qualitative and quantitative features of volcanic lithologies
• interpret volcanic lithologies, textures and structures in terms of eruption dynamics

Teaching Information

Fieldwork

Assessment Information

There is no formal exam.

• Two-day metamorphic and structural E-W traverse to document and interpret the character of the metamorphic complex (25%)
• Half-day project on the recognition of the metamorphic evolution and structural fabrics indicative of grade, uplift process, and timing to derive a P-T path (10%)
• 1-hour open-notebook test on the metamorphic and structural evolution of Naxos (15%)
• One day exercise on interpretation of volcanic outcrops (25%)
• 3-hour open-notebook test on volcanic observations and interpretations (25%)

Reading and References

Before the unit students should look at rock collections in the School lab to review hand specimen identification of volcanic and metamorphic rocks, minerals and fabrics.

Key references:

• Druitt et al (1999) Santorini Volcano, Geological Society Memoire No. 19
• Cas and Wright (2010) Volcanic Successions: Ancient and Modern, Blackwell Science Ltd
• Platt et al. (2014), Metamorphic core complexes: windows into the mechanics and rheology of the crust, Journal of the Geological Society, doi: 10.1144/jgs2014-036