Petrology and Petrography 

Professors and Researchers: Ciro Cucciniello, Lorenzo Fedele, Luigi Franciosi , Vincenza Guarino , Leone Melluso, Daniele Morgavi, Vincenzo Morra

PhD students: Federica Güll, Thomas Lemaire, Rebecca Sveva Morelli

The research group in Petrology and Petrography of DiSTAR is involved in the study of the genesis and differentiation processes of igneous effusive, intrusive and mantle rocks and in the petrological/geochemical forecasting and monitoring of volcanic eruptions.

The main areas of study are: the volcanism of the Italian Tyrrhenian margin (Ischia, Campi Flegrei, Somma-Vesuvius, Roccamonfina, Pontine Islands, Colli Albani, Sabatini, Vulsini), the Cenozoic volcanism in Sardinia, Monte Vulture, and Pantelleria in Italy; Provence, Eastern Carpathians, Eifel and Massif Central in Europe. In the rest of the world, the group is working on the continental flood basalts associated with the fragmentation of Gondwana and major extinction events (Madagascar, Deccan Traps, Paraná, Angola, Karoo in Mozambique and Antarctica), on the intrusive and effusive alkaline products of continental areas (Brazil, India, Madagascar, Ethiopian Rift, Congo, Cameroon), the Snake River Plain/Yellowstone system (USA), the Calbuco and Villarrica (Chile), Montserrat (Antilles) and Krafla (Iceland) volcanoes, and the products of the Cenozoic magmatism of Iran (Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc). Additional research studies are the Late Paleozoic magmatism of southern Sardinia, and the mafic/pelitic metamorphic rocks with high P/T gradient cropping out in the Southern Apennines/Calabria-Peloritani system.

Mineralogical, petrographic, rheological, geochemical (major and trace elements on bulk-rocks and mineral phases), Sr-Nd-Pb-O-Hf-Os isotopes on bulk-rocks and mineral phases, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Pb geochronology techniques and experimental petrology are used for these studies.

Main collaborations:

Sapienza University of Rome (Prof. M. Lustrino); University of Firenze (Prof. S. Conticelli, Prof. R. Avanzinelli); University of Pavia and CNR (Prof. A. Zanetti); ISMAR-CNR (Dr. D.D. Insinga, Napoli); University of Padova (Prof. A. Marzoli, Prof. P. Nimis); University of Bologna (Dr. S. Callegaro); University of Perugia (Prof. D. Perugini, Prof. M. Petrelli); University of Campania (Prof. D. Tedesco); University of Camerino (Prof. F. Arzilli); INGV (Dr. M. di Vito, Dr. I. Arienzo, Dr. L. Spina, Dr. S. Calvari, Dr. G. Macedonio, Dr. F. Giudicepietro); IGG-CNR (Dr. S. Agostini, Pisa); USGS, Menlo Park (Dr. A.T. Calvert); University of São Paulo, Brazil (Prof. C.B. Gomes, Prof. E. Ruberti, Prof. C.C.G. Tassinari, Prof. R.G. Azzone); USGS, Reston (Prof. R.D. Tucker); University Clermont Auvergne (Dr. M. Laumonier) Indian Institute of Technology, India (Prof. H.C. Sheth); University of Benares, India (Prof. R.K. Srivastava); University of Cape Town, Sudafrica (Prof. P. le Roux); University of Roskilde, Danimarca (Dr. M. Storey); Natural History Museum (Dr. C.M. Petrone); University of Maputo, Mozambico (Prof. L. Vasconcelos); Curtin University, Australia (Prof. F. Jourdan); University of Melbourne, Australia (Prof. J.M. Hergt); Chinese Academy of Sciences (Prof. F.-Y. Wu); Romanian Academy, Bucarest, Romania (Dr. I. Seghedi); University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon (Prof. J.P. Tchouankoue); Shahid Beheshti University, Teheran, Iran (Prof. F. Masoudi, Prof. B. Rahimzadeh); Tulear University, Madagascar (Prof. Razakamanana Théodore).