2023
Quaternary Environments
Name: Quaternary Environments
Code: GEO13352L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Geography
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
It is intended that students:
-acquire knowledge about the Earth's orbital parameters and its influence on the Quaternary's climatic rhythm;
-be able to establish relationships between the expansion and retraction of the Plistocene ice caps and the nature and efficacy of the geomorphological processes, the eustatic variations of the sea level and the environments of the Paleolithic human communities;
-Identify geomorphological elements generated by the climatic rhythm of the glacial and interglacial periods in different physical systems of the Earth;
-know methods of dating applied to geochronology of the Quaternary, and their limitations;
-develop skills to determine crustal movements based on geomorphological (river and marine) markers;
-know methods and techniques essential to: 1) understand the formation and evolution of transition sedimentary environments, 2) characterize the sedimentation and evolution of relief forms in the Quaternary, 3) developing skills in Spatial Planning.
-acquire knowledge about the Earth's orbital parameters and its influence on the Quaternary's climatic rhythm;
-be able to establish relationships between the expansion and retraction of the Plistocene ice caps and the nature and efficacy of the geomorphological processes, the eustatic variations of the sea level and the environments of the Paleolithic human communities;
-Identify geomorphological elements generated by the climatic rhythm of the glacial and interglacial periods in different physical systems of the Earth;
-know methods of dating applied to geochronology of the Quaternary, and their limitations;
-develop skills to determine crustal movements based on geomorphological (river and marine) markers;
-know methods and techniques essential to: 1) understand the formation and evolution of transition sedimentary environments, 2) characterize the sedimentation and evolution of relief forms in the Quaternary, 3) developing skills in Spatial Planning.
Contents
1- The Quaternary concept, duration on the geological scale. Conventional subdivisions. The stratigraphy of Northern Europe, the Netherlands, the British Isles, European Russia and North America.
2 - Astronomical causes of climatic variability.
3- Expansion and retraction of ice caps, sea level, phenomena of isostasy.
4 - Main geomorphological elements (erosive and accumulation) generated during the glacial, interglacial, periods in different physical systems of the Earth.
5 - Stratigraphy based on oxygen isotopes 18O / 16O of foraminifera. Stratigraphy based on Greenland (GRIP) and Antarctic (Vostok) cores.
6 - Polynomial diagrams and paleo-environmental interpretations, correspondence with equivalent marine records.
7 - Main methods of dating used in Quaternary sediments. Limitations of each of the methods.
8- Study of the allocyclic and autocyclic factors of the main transition sedimentary environments. Importance in Spatial Planning, the assessment of natural hazards.
2 - Astronomical causes of climatic variability.
3- Expansion and retraction of ice caps, sea level, phenomena of isostasy.
4 - Main geomorphological elements (erosive and accumulation) generated during the glacial, interglacial, periods in different physical systems of the Earth.
5 - Stratigraphy based on oxygen isotopes 18O / 16O of foraminifera. Stratigraphy based on Greenland (GRIP) and Antarctic (Vostok) cores.
6 - Polynomial diagrams and paleo-environmental interpretations, correspondence with equivalent marine records.
7 - Main methods of dating used in Quaternary sediments. Limitations of each of the methods.
8- Study of the allocyclic and autocyclic factors of the main transition sedimentary environments. Importance in Spatial Planning, the assessment of natural hazards.
Teaching Methods
Two field trips for reconnaissance of forms and related deposits of river, wind and marine systems generated during the Quaternary period.
Evaluation by theoretical-practical examination (50%) and individual work (50%) about the issues of the field work.
Evaluation by theoretical-practical examination (50%) and individual work (50%) about the issues of the field work.
Teaching Staff
