The aim of this field field camp is to determine, using geophysical field measurements, the depth of the crust-mantle transition – the ”Moho” – from the coast of the French Riviera to the outer crystalline massif of the Mercantour. The measurements will follow the Var and Tinée valleys, between Nice and Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée (Figure 1). Crustal thickness in this region is a fundamental parameter for understanding the structure and evolution of the Alpine lithosphere, as well as its current dynamics. It contributes to answering questions such as (1) how, and by how much, does a collision belt thicken? (2) what processes maintain the current topography of the Alps?, or (3) what are the drivers of current seismicity in the French Southern Alps?

In the field, students perform GPS, leveling, and gravity measurements using research equipment. In the evenings, they attend lectures, process the data collected during the day, and build the complete geoid profile. They then use this profile to calculate the crustal thickness beneath the Southern Alps based on geophysical modeling, possibly partly upon return at ENS, and write the report on which they will be evaluated.

This field camp allows students to link large-scale geological observations to quantities measurable by geophysical methods, to manipulate geophysical research tools in real conditions, to develop a sense of initiative in the face of field difficulties, and to understand the impact of instrument manipulations on the resulting geological and geophysical interpretations.

The field camp lasts one week and is hosted in Saint Etienne de Tinée, in the heart of the Mercantour National Park.