Scientific mission:

The main objective of the scientific work in the Department is to understand the evolution of the orogen and to contribute to the knowledge of the orogenic processes in general. We focus on the following problems:

  • transformation of continental crust and upper mantle during subduction of Earth's lithosphere, with particular emphasis on ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism
  • preservation of minerals and their transformation during subduction and exhumation back to the Earth's surface
  • reconstruction of metamorphic P-T-t paths of crustal and mantle rocks, tectonic implications
  • partial melting and formation of granitoid magma, with particular emphasis to the evolution of granite magmatism and the role of water and oxidation/reduction conditions
  • emplacement and transformation of basaltic magma in the crust during continental rifting, paleovolcanic reconstruction of volcanic formations including their timing
  • fluid-rock interaction at upper mantle/lower crustal levels, including metallogeny

 

The selected working areas expand knowledge on UHP metamorphism, partial melting and granitoid magmatism related to deep subduction of lithosphere during collision of continents, and elucidate geodynamic processes in modern and fossil orogenic belts of the world.