Earth and Planetary Materials: from Nature to Experiments

The course aims to provide an advanced and integrated understanding of terrestrial and planetary materials, exploring their evolution, composition, and geodiversity. Special attention will be given to the study of petrological processes that control the formation of magmatic and metamorphic rocks, as well as the stability and transformation of minerals, analyzing their chemical-physical properties and origins in various geological contexts.
Through a multidisciplinary approach, the course combines mineralogical and crystal-chemical analysis of natural materials with the modeling of petrological processes such as crystallization, melting, and metamorphism, utilizing advanced experimental and analytical techniques, including spectroscopy and in situ synchrotron radiation analyses, to study materials under extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature.
The ultimate goal is to develop critical skills for understanding and interpreting the mechanisms governing the genesis and transformation of terrestrial materials, rocks, and minerals, by integrating natural observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical models.

Students will acquire advanced and up-to-date knowledge of the main minerals and rocks forming the Earth and planetary bodies, gaining insight into their reactivity and transformations in major petrological processes. They will also be able to apply key experimental techniques, both for their characterization and for the study of materials under non-ambient conditions.