The Course

The main reason we decided to go on this trip was to do Geology, so its only fitting that we have a page or two devoted to it.  Don't worry though we'll try and make it painless, so you should escape relatively unscathed.

Introduction

Our understanding of plate tectonics and the processes that form continental margins and mid-ocean ridges (both covered by oceans), are based on geophysical data and limited rock samples obtained by drilling and/or manned submersible. Because modern margins and mid-ocean ridges are covered by > 2 km of water and <1 km of sediment, these are the only means available for investigation. While these data have advanced our knowledge of continental rupture and ocean basin formation, and provide excellent projects for graduate research, they do not impart the same intuitive understanding of the processes that can be gained by looking at outcrop-scale geology. Particularly for students, field geology is an unparalleled manner in which to learn how natural systems work and anticipate how features resulting from these processes might be observable from the limited physical samples available and in geophysical datasets. There are very few places in the world where such rock types and processes can be studied in the field. Fortunately the Alps host several of these rare localities associated with the continental margin and initiation of the ancient Tethys Ocean; the best studied analogue to the modern.