Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Department of Earth Sciences
ES303: STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
Lecture 1. Class Administration
Santanu Misra
Department of Earth Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
smisra@[Link] [Link]
Aims and objectives of this lecture
Knowing each other
The way the lectures will progress
Class administration / examinations / policies etc.
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ES303: Teaching Assistant
Mr. Tushar B Todkar (SRF)
Office: B Block, Old SAC
E-mail: tbtodkar20@[Link]
Joined IIT Kanpur in 2020 as MTech, converted to PhD in 2022
M. Sc. 2020, Pune University
Research: Tectonic relationship between Vindhyan Basin and CITZ
What should one study Structural Geology?
Here is a fault surface that
formed in the 1992 Landers CA
earthquake. Note the grooves
showing the sense of motion.
Slip accumulated in a few
seconds and damage was done.
Photo: University of California
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What should one study Structural Geology?
Here is a fault produced during 1931
Napier earthquake (M7.4), killing 256
people.
Photo: Santanu Misra
What should one study Structural Geology?
The Nepal 2015 earthquake
Where did it happen?
What happened?
The post-mortem analysis
Elliott et al., 2016. Nature
Earthquakes are triggered by sudden release of elastic strain
energy due to unlocking of the locked zones.
What dictates the slip dynamics to change from locked to
unlocked to produce an earthquake is still unknown.
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What should one study Structural Geology?
Magmatic segregation: pegmatites
Crystallization in fluid-rich environment
Hydrothermal solutions: important ore deposits
Hot, metal-rich fluid migration as vein deposits or
disseminated deposits
[Link]
Natural resources such as minerals are explored for using the
tools of structural geology. Note how these veins (fractures)
control the ore formation.
[Link]
Economic resources are structurally controlled
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What should one study Structural Geology?
The geometry of layers
and structures controls
hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Structural geologists
work for oil companies,
and their work has led a
lot of conceptual
development of
structural geology.
Keller, 2002
What should one study Structural Geology?
Most importantly, we want to
understand how the earth works
and why things are beautiful. Here
is the Trans Alai Range of the Pamirs
where the India Eurasia collision is
partially accommodated by motion
along a thrust fault dipping away
from us and lifting the range.
Understanding the Beauty !!
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What one should study Structural Geology?
Understanding the Beauty !!
What accommodates such a large
deformation? Here is the famous
Glarus thrust in Swiss Alps.
Photo: Rock Def lab, ETH Zurich
Photo: H. Takagi
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What one should study Structural Geology?
The underworld activities
Partial melt
generation,
migration
and shear
localization
Misra et al., 2009, 2014
Misra et al., 2011
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Why should you study Structural Geology?
Job milega keya?
Exploration and mining
Litho-structural Mapping Prediction
Survey
Construction (engineering) Uncertainty
Structural Analysis
Natural Hazard Analysis Risk
Hydrogeology
Science & Technology
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Class Administration - I
LECTURES
Concepts of deformation and structures in Earth and planetary systems; Concepts
of Continuum, Solid, Fluid, Tensor, Force, Stress and Strain; Structures associated
with extensional, compressional, sliding tectonics and erosion; Fold morphology,
kinematics and mechanism; Normal, reverse, oblique and strike-slip faults; Fold
and thrust belts; Measurement and presentation of 1-, 2- and 3D structural
elements; Ductile shear zones; Poly-phase (superposed) deformation and
overprinting relationships; Application of Structural Geology.
LAB
Measurement and presentation of structural elements; Stereographic projection
and interpretation; Construction and interpretation of structural map, profile and
balanced cross section; measurement of finite strain; studying structures under
optical/electron microscope.
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Class Administration - II
Study Materials
.pdf copies of these books are available on the web.
There are many online resources, including research papers
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Class Administration - III
Conduct of the course and lecture Materials
[Link]
Lectures and other resources will be uploaded here.
Lab classes on each Friday (14:00 – 17:00 hrs). The TA will share more details soon.
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Class Administration - IV
Course Schedule
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Class Administration - V
Mailing list
ES303@[Link] [requires IITK login and password]
Anyone registered in this course will receive e-mail through this. Not the TAs!
Discussion Forum
Using discussion forum in Hello IITK is strongly encouraged / on in whatsapp
group.
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Examination and Evaluation Policies
Continuous Evaluation
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ES306: Field Geology II
We need to discuss this and plan ahead
Dates?
Travel
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