Discovering the Unique Geology of the Bergell Alps

About this book

This book aims to introduce scientists and educated laymen to the fascinating geology of the Bergell Alps, first with some background information on geology, tectonics, minerals and rocks and then to lead readers on excursions to observe geological features in the field. The authors believe the best way to make readers familiar with local geology is to lead them to intriguing outcrops. Such books are common in North America, but missing in Europe, particularly for the Alps. With this work, they use hands-on experience at a series of sites to educate readers how individual outcrops, moraines, landslides or other features contribute to our broader understanding of the region's unique geology.

Contents

Foreword
Preface

1. Introduction (history, background)
2. The geological frame (plate tectonics, continental collision, Alps, intrusion of Tertiary granite)
3. Six highlights of Bergell Geology
      3.1 Minerals and rocks in the Bergell Alps
      3.2 The Bergell Granite, one of the youngest on Earth
      3.3 Microstructures of rocks, their composition and formation conditions
      3.4 The recent history: glaciers and moraines
      3.5 Landslides
      3.6 Mining quarrying and water: Copper, lime, gneiss, gravel, lavez, water/electricity
4. Geological excursions in the Bergell Alps
      4.1 Easy hikes
            4.1.1. Alp Cavloccio: Tectonic units and contact rocks
            4.1.2. Maloja: Moraines, peat bogs and glacier mills
            4.1.3. Val Maroz: Greenschist, Bundnerschiefer (calcareous schist), travertine, serpentinite
            4.1.4. Albigna Hut: Bergell Granit (with cable car)
            4.1.5. Pranzaira: Introduction to Bergell rocks in the river
            4.1.6. Piuro-Chiavenna: Old lavez quarries, Marmitte dei Giganti, Chiavenna city
            4.1.7. Valle San Giacomo: Outcrops with Tambo granite in the Liro river, Cimaganda landslide
      4.2 Longer excursions
            4.2.1. Val Forno, Muretto: Bergell granite, contact zone, glacial features, pillow structures
            4.2.2. Maloja, Pass Lunghin, Piz Lunghin: nappes, serpentinite, Triassic marble
            4.2.3. Plaun da Lej-Grevasalvas-Fuorcela Grevasalvas: Higher nappes, radiolarite, old granites (Lagrev, Julier). Lime kiln at Crap da Chuern
            4.2.4. Casaccia-Val Maroz-Val da la Duana (Piz Duan detour)-Cadrin-Loebbia-Soglio: Landslide (Maroz-Dent), upper Pennine nappes (Avers, Suretta, Tambo)
            4.2.5. Roticcio-Val Furcela-Val da Cam- Piz Cam descent to Vicosoprano/Roticcio: Young diabase dikes, stratigraphy of Suretta nappe, Mn-silicates, quartzites
            4.2.6. Val Albigna (Funicola), Day1 Pass da Casnil, Day 2 Pass Cacciabella: Bergell granite, pegmatite and aplite dikes, xenolith inclusions, orbicular granite
            4.2.7. Lavinair Crusc-Piz Salacina: Calcareous silicates in contact zone
            4.2.8. Bondo-Ciresc-Lera d'Sura-Denc dal Luf: Al₂SiO₅ triple point, Gruf migmatites, moraines
            4.2.9. Bondo Cugian Cap. Sasc Fura (Val Bondasca): Contact zone with Bergell granite, ultramafic xenoliths, deformed granite, view on 2018 landslide
            4.2.10. Overview: Via Panoramica from Casaccia to Soglio
            4.2.11. Bondo-Ciresc-Tegiola-Val Codera-Novate Mezzola: Gruf migmatite, mylonites, high temperature mineral assemblages, Novate granite
            4.2.12. Val Malenco-Val Sissone: Southern contact zone with tonalite, serpentinite

Bibliography
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Hans-Rudolf Wenk obtained his PhD in crystallography at the University of Zurich in 1965 and joined the Department of Geology and Geophysics (now Earth and Planetary Science) in 1967. He combined teaching with research, more recently focusing on anisotropic properties in the Earth with advanced diffraction experiments and modelling. But his career covers a wide range of topics, including several books (e.g. Electron Microscopy, 1976 with Springer; Preferred Orientation, 1985 with Academic Press; Texture Analysis, 1998, Mineralogy, 2016, both with Cambridge University Press) and many publications. He has guided many field trips introducing freshmen to California geology. Summers were often spent exploring the interesting geology of the Bergell Alps and preparing a detailed map which is used in this book.

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Wenk is a plant ecologist with a PhD from UC Berkeley, investigating the distribution and physiology of alpine plants in California's Sierra Nevada. She works at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, broadly interested in plant functional traits. She pursues a second career as a hiking guide author for California's Sierra Nevada, having written the definitive book to the famous John Muir Trail and authoring award-winning hiking guides that cover the length of the mountain range. She became familiar with Alpine geology at an early age on many hikes with her father. In this book, her focus has been to prepare the complex multilayered digital maps that accompany every excursion.