Abstract
In this paper, we have adopted a modern, cutting-edge methodology to make geoheritage sites (geosites) available and explorable worldwide, through both immersive and non-immersive virtual reality, particularly suitable also in COVID-19 times. In doing this, we have focused our attention on five different outcroppings, shallow magma bodies in Iceland: such geological objects, although being often underestimated, are, on the contrary, very suitable for geoheritage popularization purposes. These outstanding outcrops have been transformed in virtual outcrops (VOs) through UAV-based photogrammetry 3D modelling, and have been uploaded on a brand-new, dedicated online resource (GeoVires Virtual Reality Lab for Earth Sciences) which is accessible worldwide for Earth Science teaching and communication. As already stressed above, the choice of these Icelandic shallow magma bodies has been suggested by the fact that such geological objects, although extraordinarily challenging both in terms of geotourism and teaching, are seldom the object of attention from the international scientific community. The five VOs are defined here as virtual geosites (VGs) because they are, indeed, geosites that are fully accessible with a smartphone, a tablet, or a PC; moreover, each is provided with a detailed description and notes available during 3D exploration. Our work could represent a model for future, similar efforts aimed at popularizing Earth Sciences and making geoheritage available to a broad public through VGs.
Highlights
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic) has been reported in each of the world’s countries
Our work could represent a model for future, similar efforts aimed at popularizing Earth Sciences and making geoheritage available to a broad public through virtual geosites (VGs)
We focused our attention on key parts of virtual landscapes, the so-called virtual outcrops (VOs), or 3D digital outcrop models (DOMs), which can be defined as 3D representations of surface geology [5,6] and are suitable for: (i) popularizing geoheritage for a general audience by explaining ongoing, active geological and environmental processes; and (ii) engaging the younger generation, usually attracted to interactive forms of communication [7]
Summary
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic) has been reported in each of the world’s countries. Geosites may be represented by outcrops, quarries, caves, mines, volcanic landforms and products, subvolcanic structures as well as tectonic structures [36] Their relevance can be global, national, regional, or local [37], and they may be further classified [38] regarding their appearance (spatially limited sites such as outcrops, linear features such as dykes and faults, aerially extended features such as mountain peaks) and dynamic state (inactive processes as opposed to active ones). The virtual outcrops featured in the present work, which can be regarded as “virtual geosites”, are all related to specific processes taking place in the shallow Earth’s crust, which give rise to particular geological features known as “subvolcanic bodies” These have been described in a series of general papers [43,44,45], and others, dedicated to Iceland [46,47,48] and elsewhere [49,50]. We attempt a brief and qualitative assessment of the geosites, according to the methods applied by a number of seminal papers focused on the topic of geosite evaluation
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