The DDE-Outcrop3D working group will soon depart for Europe on a digital capture tour of classic geological sites.

In January 2023, the DDE (Deep-Time Digital Earth Big Science Program) Outcrop3D Group and IUGS agreed to cooperate and plan to start digitizing “The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage sites” in June. The project will include 11 IUGS geological sites in Europe and 10 IAS post-conference outcrops. “The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites”, to be released in 2021, is an important milestone in the world's geological research history. This collaboration aims to protect better and promote these geological sites.

The geological heritages and outcrops will be digitized by Dr. Hanting Zhong, Dr. Xia Wang, Zongqi Lin, Yi Yuan, and Lin Shu from Chengdu University of Technology. The team plans to use UAVs, 720° panoramic cameras, and high-resolution cameras to collect the data, which will then be modeled and uploaded to the “DDE- Outcrop 3D” website for public consumption.

Digitization of geological heritage aims to provide an international platform for geologists, earth science enthusiasts, educators, and students to access 3D geological data and promote earth science research. To maximize the scientific value of the outcrop, the team plans to invite geological experts familiar with the target outcrop to volunteer for data collection in Europe from June to August 2023. The main task of the experts will be to work with the team to produce introductory videos of the target outcrops, which will be available on the “DDE- Outcrop 3D” website, where users will be able to view them by selecting the target outcrop and clicking on the video bar on the right. These videos will form an essential part of the digitization of geological sites and outcrops around the world.

Geological outcrop 3D models worldwide will be presented on the "DDE- Outcrop 3D" website. Scientists and enthusiasts worldwide can upload their geological outcrop 3D models and add images, videos, panoramic photos, references, and detailed observation point information. The site is highly interactive, allowing everyone to share valuable information and communicate with other users through digital outcrop models, videos, and photos uploaded by others.

The following is the schedule and roadmap of the European trip. Experts and scholars can contact us to implement the digital collection of “The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites”.