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B026349 - GEOCHEMISTRY WITH ELEMENTS OF DATA ANALYSIS
Main information
Teaching Language
Course Content
Suggested readings
Learning Objectives
Prerequisites
Teaching Methods
Further information
Type of Assessment
Course program
Academic Year 2017-18
Coorte 2017 - Second Cycle Degree in Scienze della Natura e dell'Uomo
Course year
First year - First Semester
Belonging Department
Biology (BIO)
Course Type
Single education field course
Scientific Area
GEO/08 - GEOCHEMISTRY AND VOLCANOLOGY
Credits
6
Teaching Hours
52
Teaching Term
18/09/2017 ⇒ 22/12/2017
Attendance required
No
Type of Evaluation
Final Grade
Course Content
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Course program
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Lectureship
Teaching Language
Italian language
Course Content
Distribution of chemical elements in natural materials (solids, liquids and gaseous matrices). Evaluation of the mobility of chemical elements, focus on the behaviour of toxic metals. Determination of the background values of chemical elements or species. Characterization of anomalous areas. Graphical-numerical and statistical analysis of geochemical data. Principles of geostatistical analysis. Laboratory of data analysis with use of the R and Matlab software.
Suggested readings (Search our library's catalogue)
1) Environmental and low temperature geochemistry. P. Ryan, Wiley Blackwell, 2014.
2) Introduction to Geochemistry. Principles and Applications. K.C. Misra, Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
3) Geochemical and Biogeochemical reaction modelling, 2008
Craig B. Bethke, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-87554-7
4) Metodi matematici e statistici per le scienze della Terra, 2006, Vol. III, Tecniche statistiche
A. Buccianti, F. Vlacci, F. Rosso, Liguori editore
2) Introduction to Geochemistry. Principles and Applications. K.C. Misra, Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
3) Geochemical and Biogeochemical reaction modelling, 2008
Craig B. Bethke, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-87554-7
4) Metodi matematici e statistici per le scienze della Terra, 2006, Vol. III, Tecniche statistiche
A. Buccianti, F. Vlacci, F. Rosso, Liguori editore
Learning Objectives
The course provides a basic preparation for the understanding of the main geochemical and biogeochemical processes underlying the mechanisms of partition of the chemical elements in natural materials.
Students acquire knowledge to manage geochemical and biogeochemical data (R and Matlab software) in a correct way, validate their correctness for an analytical point of view and to construct conceptual models able to describe the investigated phenomena (natural or anthropic) in a critical way.
Students acquire the skills to evaluate and quantify the behaviur of chemical elements in different natural frameworks with the final aim to understand the partition processes among different geological matrices and natural reservoirs.
Students acquire knowledge to manage geochemical and biogeochemical data (R and Matlab software) in a correct way, validate their correctness for an analytical point of view and to construct conceptual models able to describe the investigated phenomena (natural or anthropic) in a critical way.
Students acquire the skills to evaluate and quantify the behaviur of chemical elements in different natural frameworks with the final aim to understand the partition processes among different geological matrices and natural reservoirs.
Prerequisites
Required courses: Inorganic and organic chemistry, Mineralogy, Petrography
Recommended courses: Geology
Recommended courses: Geology
Teaching Methods
Teaching tools: Blackboard, video-projector for computer, overhead projector, practical lessons for data analysis in computer room. Use of the Moodle platform for e-learning.
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab: Frequency of lessons is highly recommended, but not mandatory.
Type of Assessment
Final oral exam with discussion of the content of a scientific article given by the teacher. Three further questions on the arguments of the developed program.
Course program
Origin of the chemical elements. Stellar evolution, origin of the solar system, earth-like and outer planets. Meteorites, chemical composition and classification. Chemical differentiation of the earth. Geochemical and biogeochemical cycles of the elements. Basic principles (chemical bounding, types of chemical reactions), thermodynamics description of equilibrium, measurement of disequilibrium. Chemical equilibrium: conceptual models, governing equations, uncertainty. Reaction processes: mass transfer, geochemical buffers, kinetics of chemical reactions. Geochemistry of the gaseous phase. Geochemistry of the aqueous phase. Geochemistry of soils and sediments. Evaluation of geochemical hazard, determination of background values, anomalous geochemical values. Graphical and numerical statistical analysis of data. Geochemical mapping by using linear geostatistics principles. Use of the R software platform.