Phd Earth Sciences

Courses

• GEOLOGIA STRUTTURALE (MFN1604)
  Corsi di studi in Scienze Geologiche (L-34 e LM-74)
• RILEVAMENTO GEOLOGICO I (MFN0625)
  Corsi di studi in Scienze Geologiche (L-34 e LM-74)
• TETTONICA FRAGILE E APPLICAZIONI DI TERRENO (STE0119)
  Corsi di studi in Scienze Geologiche (L-34 e LM-74)

Research topics

Recent Editorial Positions:

- 2010: Book Editor, GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA SPECIAL PAPER, Boulder, Colorado - USA.

- 2010-2012: Guest Book Editor, TECTONOPHYSICS, Elsevier Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

- 2012-2014: Guest Book Editor, MARINE GEOLOGY, Elsevier Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

- 2016 to present: Associate Editor, EPISODES, IUGS publications.

- 2016-2017: Guest Book Editor, GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE, Cambridge University Press, UK.

- 2017-2020: Book Editor of the AGU BOOK “Submarine landslides: subaqueous mass transport deposits from outcrop to seismic profiles”, JOHN WILEY & SON, USA

- 2018-2019: Guest Book Editor, GONDWANA RESEARCH, Elsevier Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

- 2018-2020: Guest Book Editor, JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, The Geological Society, London, UK.

- 2019 to present: Associate Editor, GONDWANA RESEARCH, Elsevier Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Recent coordination and participation in international committees and groups:

 - 2017-to present: Coordinator of the IUGS Task Group on GeoHazards (http://iugstgg.lab.irides.tohoku.ac.jp/)

- 2019 –to present: Steering Committee of the International Association of Gondwana Research (IAGR, China University of Geosciences Beijing, China).

- 2019 to present: Council Member, GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS, Elsevier Publishers (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) – China University of Geosciences Beijing (Beijing, China).

Recent International collaborations:

2009-to present, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA. Processes of mélange formation and Ophiolites and their origin in orogenic belts and subduction-accretion complexes .

2013-2015, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain. Procesos de formación de melanges y otras unidades geológicas desorganizadas.

2016-to present, Ruhr University (Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics), Bochum (Germany). Structural study of the Cretan Mélange (Crete, Greece).

2016-to present, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The  Netherlands). Structural-stratigraphy  of chaotic complexes in Northern Apennines.

2019-to present, China University of Geosciences, Beijing (China).

Recent international seminar and lecture activities:

 2014, Universitad de Barcelona (Spain), Title: Mélanges and geodynamic settings of their formation. Barcelona, 21 October 2014.

2016: IAG-WTGT International Summer School “Alps vs Apennines: Tectonic geomorphology of mountains”, Peveragno-CN (Italy), 05 July 2016, Title: Structural patterns and tectonic history of the Apennines.

2017, Ruhr University, Bochum (Germany), Title: Mélanges and chaotic rock units: historical review and new concepts. Bochum, 17 January 2017.

2017, Ruhr University, Bochum (Germany), Title: Mélanges and mélange-forming processes. Bochum, 19 January 2017.

2019: China University of Geosciences Beijing (China), Title: Mélange concept: Redefinition, New Classification and Future Prospects. Beijing, 18 September 2019

2019: Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic), Title: Significance of mass transport processes and mélanges in the evolution of orogenic belts and subduction complexes. Prague, 23 September 2019

Scientific Awards:

2015, High Cited Paper by ISIWEB-Thomson database for the paper “Mélanges and mélange-forming processes: a historical overview and new concepts” - International Geology Review, 52(10-12), 1040-1105: “as of July/August 2015, it received enough citations to place it in the top 1% of its academic field based on a highly cited threshold for the field and publication year”.

2016, #10 paper on 11542 articles in the category “Geology” of WEB OF SCIENCE (Core collection) for the period 2010 to 2014 (Web of Science Core Collection) for the paper "Mélanges and mélange-forming processes: a historical overview and new concepts" International Geology Review, 52(10-12), 1040-1105

2016, EPISODES Best Paper Award 2012-2016 for “Pre-Alpine Extensional Tectonics of a Peridotite-localized Oceanic Core Complex in Late Jurassic, High-Pressure Monviso Ophiolite (Western Alps)” – Episodes, vol. 38 (4), 266-282.

2019, Geological Society of America Award from the "History & Philosophy Geology Division".

Scientific background, and ongoing research:

The scientific interest, spanning the fields of Tectonics and Structural Geology, includes regional tectonics, field mapping, and structural and stratigraphic studies in orogenic belts of different ages (from Paleozoic to Cenozoic), exhumed accretionary wedges and subduction zones (additional information at http://andreafesta.magix.net/public/).

The main subjects of my research are:

 - Mélange and mélange forming processes: definition of the role played by tectonic, sedimentary (gravitational), and diapiric processes in the formation of mélanges (or chaotic rock units) in passive and active margins, and in particular in ancient accretionary complexes. Particular interest is addressed to document and define: (i) the relationships between different mélange types, and geodynamic setting in which they formed; (ii) the criteria helpful for distinguishing different types of mélange forming processes and their superposition. This research is developed through the comparative analyses of different types of mélanges exposed in the Apennines and W-Alps in Italy, circum-Mediterranean region, Central Appalachians and Sierra Nevada (USA), Andean Precordillera (Argentina) and Cantabria Zone (Spain). The paper "Mélanges and mélange-forming processes: a historical overview and new concepts" by Festa et al. (2010; Int. Geol. Rev.) was ranked #10 on 11542 articles in the category "Geology" of Web of Science (Core collection) for the period 2010 to 2014.

 - Convergent margins and subduction zones: definition of the structural setting and tectono- stratigraphic evolution of convergent margins from subduction-related deformation to collision and intra-continental deformation. This research also focus on the dynamics of the accretionary complexes, including the study of the MTDs (mass-transport deposits), supported by the comparison between modern accretionary complexes (oceanic drilling from IODP project) and fossil analogues. Studied areas include the Northern, Central and Southern Apennines in Italy, Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW-Italy), Western Alps, Central Appalachians and northern Sierra Nevada (USA).

 - Tectono-stratigraphic evolution of sedimentary basins: definition of the multistage tectono-stratigraphic evolution of fold-and-thrust belts (Italian Apennines) and episutural basins (Tertiary Piedmont Basin, NW-Italy). This research is based on detailed, and regional field mapping, structural, and stratigraphic analyses of the syntectonic clastic wedges, and top-thrust successions. Interpretation of seismic lines, analysis of fractures in outcropping reservoirs, and their implication for oil migration, as well as paleomagnetic analysis represent other detailed aspects of these researches.

 - Intra-oceanic tectonic and sedimentation relationships: reconstruction of the intra-oceanic tectono-stratigraphic setting of the Late Jurassic Ligurian-Piedmont Ocean (Alpine Tethys) and preserved remnants of extensional detachment faults associated to Oceanic Core Complexes in eclogite facies Western Alpine metaophiolite units (Monviso Meta-ophiolitic Complex and Aosta Valley). Particular attention is addressed to the role played by preserved intra-oceanic structures in controlling the subsequent tectonic evolution of Western Alps during subduction, obduction, collision and exhumation stages. These studies have been awarded by IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences) with the EPISODES Best Paper Award 2016 in recognition of the paper: "Pre-Alpine extensional tectonics of a peridotite-localized Oceanic Core Complex in Late Jurassic, High-Pressure Monviso Ophiolite (Western Alps)" by Balestro, G., Festa, A., Dilek, Y., Tartarotti, P. Episodes, 38 (4), 266-282.

 - Geological Mapping:  geologic mapping represents the principal tool that I use in my research to convey a complete compilation of information about the structure and stratigraphy of the sectors I work on. The product consists of maps at different scales (from 1:10.000 to 1:250.000) of different sectors of the Apennines thrust-and-fold belt.

Research groups

• Mélanges, mélange forming processes and related natural hazards
• Role of structural-stratigraphic inheritances in the evolution of convergent margins
• Geological mapping

• Cartografia geologica
• Mélange, processi di formazione dei mélange e rischi naturali associati
• Ruolo delle eredità strutturali-stratigrafiche nell’evoluzione dei margini convergenti

Research projects

• Evidenze e ruolo di strutture ereditate nell'evoluzione strutturale di un margine convergente esumato (Alpi Occidentali - Appennino settentrionale)
• Geodinamica del sistema Alpi occidentali - Appennino settentrionale: vincoli strutturali all'evoluzione di un margine convergente esumato
• Anatomia strutturale di margini convergenti: casi di studio dalle Alpi occidentali e dall'Appennino settentrionale
• PROGEO - Piemonte (ORTO11Y7RH)

Activities in agenda

See my calendar

Academic bodies

• Consiglio di Dipartimento
• Ricerca

Office hours