GEOMEDIA-WEB: AN ITALIAN MULTIMEDIA NETWORK FOR DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE ON GEORESOURCES AND HAZARDS

Geological knowledge is fundamental for the assessment and mitigation of natural hazards, as well as for the successful exploitation and management of georesources. The GeoMedia-web project aims to improve people awareness of geological issues by establishing a network of researchers, teachers, and scientific institutions sharing innovative multimedia solutions for the dissemination of Earth Science contents, focusing on natural hazards and georesources.

The concept inspiring the GeoMedia-web project is based on principles of geoconservation and virtual reality applications. It balances the mix of Earth Sciences knowledge, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) instruments, geomatics, geoethical principles and innovative didactic methodologies.

The partners of the project are involved in sharing and testing some "case studies", for the assessment of the appreciation and the user-friendliness of multimedia products. These include models and animations of geological phenomena and hazards, virtual and real field trips.

Multimedia products are classified depending on spatial and temporal scales, for helping general public in understanding the location of the phenomenon in the Earth Sciences scales. Among others, here we propose two different case studies concerning different ranges, and both georesources and geohazards dissemination. - a real time interactive simulation (4D: space + time) of a debris flow, developed basing on the event occurred in the Susa Valley in the year 1981 (Champeyron River);

- a multimedia linear animation about Alpine geological evolution, designed as introductory to the activities carried out in the ScopriAlpi mine (Germanasca Valley, Cottian Alps).

Specific questionnaires are designed for the assessment of the products and visits to the territories with secondary school students are realized, in collaboration with researchers.

By means of collaborative sharing and creation of dissemination products, the project will provide a guiding network on the development of research and of methodologies for promoting effective audio-visual dissemination of Earth Sciences knowledge.

The results of the project and the multimedia products will be spread through the web and through a series of seminars, training courses, conferences, publications.