Science corner

During the preparation of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master programme, the GeoPlaNet partners have been collaborating within another Erasmus + project : the GeoPlaNet Strategic Partnership (2020-2023). Together with the Universities of Padova (IT), Porto (PT) and the start-up VR2Planets, who are now associated partners of the GeoPlaNet-EMJM, the Universities of Coimbra, Chieti-Pescara and Nantes have created many educational ressources on planetary geosciences : courses, references, lectures, podcasts, etc.. which are available in this section.

 Video of the use case of virtual reality for geosciences training
During the International week for VR in geosciences from 11/29/2021 to 12/3/2021 in the form of a virtual event, 3 days of collaborative immersive course sessions were organized by VR2Planets in order to demonstrate the potential of virtual reality tools for geosciences pedagogy. From this demonstration, videos were extracted by filming the students and professors physically present on the Nantes site. Videos were also extracted directly from the virtual reality software to present the immersive experience. This deliverable presents the different aspects of the virtual reality tool and the functionalities implemented to create relevant pedagogical activities for geosciences teaching on planetary bodies.
 
>> Download report
>> See video

The school was organised by the Universities of Chieti-Pescara and Padova, in Pescara (Sept. 26 -Oct 1, 2022) and in Predazzo in the Dolomites (2-8 Oct 2022). Footage of the field part of the "School on Planetary Geological Mapping and Fields Analogs" in the Dolomites by the University of Padova:

Pedagocial ressources created for the school and by the participants:

Digital Terrain Model Generation
The aim is to describe the pipeline developed to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from planetary data. We select Mars as the target because of the amount of available datasets and the variety of geological landforms present on the planet. As the exemplary tool material, we select Context Camera (CTX) images, because this is a dataset that was not originally conceived for the 3D analysis purpose, hence it allows us to understand how to face potential issues. As the test area, we selected the Eberswalde crater, centered at 23.9W-33.25S, and in particular the central part of the crater, where the famous delta feature (Malin and Edgett, 2002; Bhattacharya et al., 2005; Pondrelli et al., 2008; Mangold et al., 2012) propagates into the basin floor. Here, the variety of morphologies and geometries of the landforms represent an ideal test area both for technical issues and scientific purposes. The overall procedure includes data selection, pre-processing, and finally DEM generation.
>>Download PDF document

 Geological Mapping
The aim was to provide the conceptual framework necessary to plan and perform a planetary geological mapping project.
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 Geological 3D Model

This work is the geological interpretation of a section of the Bletterbach gorge right slope (Aldino-Trentino Alto Adige). The section was reconstructed as a Digital Outcrop Model (DOM) by a photogrammetric acquisition carried out with a drone during the Predazzo session of the School on Planetary Geological mapping and Field Analogues
>> Download PDF document

Field Trip Guide
The aim was to realize a planetary-oriented field guide of the excursion that was carried on at the end of the mapping school. A planetary-oriented field-guide is meant to help the students to better understand the similarities-disparities between terrestrial and planetary settings and the potential/pitfalls of such comparison. This is a very important cultural topic in the planetary sciences.
>> Download PDF document

Field data Collection
The aim  is to describe the pipeline to reconstruct 3D digital outcrops and make them available for further analysis in 3D and virtual reality (VR) environment. The overall procedure includes the data acquisition with mobile phones and drones and the reconstruction of 3D photogrammetric models of objects and outcropping rocks via Structure for Motion (SfM). The best products have been selected as deliverables freely available at the following repository: https://researchdata.cab.unipd.it/804/ . They are either indoor objects (rock samples, minerals, fossils) or digital outcrop models acquired in the field.

>> Download PDF document Teaching Material The teaching material related to the school is grouped, including lectures and some materials for exercises. >> Download PDF document

"Sous l'océan... dans l'espace !" A Podcast by Le labo des Savoirs

Study on the employability in Planetary Geosciences (2020-2030)
This study has been conducted by the LPG of Nantes Université.

Objectives
This review aims at identifying:
→ the upcoming scientific challenges associated to planned space missions for the coming 10 years
→ the needed scientific expertise and skills of the future workers in Planetary Geosciences
→ the job opportunities and careers of the students trained in Planetary Geosciences

>>Download report  

• More content on geoplanet.space, a data base of ressources on planetary geosciences developped by Coimbra University.
• Research laboratories connected to the EMJM University partners and the associated partners in the GeoPlaNet consortium.

A winter school: "Habitability in the Solar System and beyond", was organised by the Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences at Nantes Université (Nov. 28 -Dec 2, 2022).
Below the lectures and some educational ressources to download.
   

• This thematic school has been supported by the creation of teaching material on habitability by Nantes, assisted by all partners.

A report on the school includes all teaching material relevant to the preparation of the thematic school, and the assessment including:
I - The specific programme designed by the Partnership to address the most recent challenges on habitability,
II - The pedagogical material relevant to the preparation, the dissemination and the educational recognition of the thematic school about habitability: online courses and tutorials. The courses will remain online on the GeoPlaNet websites and allow remote students and researchers to access a top-level overview on planetary habitability. NB: the videos are also available further down this page.
III - A list of pedagogical references designed to provide a strong background for participants prior to the event and reference for more in-depth study of themes.
IV - The assessment of student’s group work addressing the needs of educational recognition for students attending the school as part of their national education programmes

 

• 3D model : During the Week on Habitability, students went on a field trip to observe a cliff : Falaise de la Pointe du Castelli, at Piriac-sur-Mer (Loire-Atlantique, France). Here is the model reconstruction.

This geological sequence represents an alternation of Paleozoic volcano-sedimentary rocks (light ochre) and darker levels with very fine quartz and organic carbon interpreted as phtanites

Photogrammetric model made with a Nikon D750 and Agisoft Metashape.
Shooting date: 29 November 2022. Contribution: S. Le Mouélic, B. Rondeau (credits LPG/CNRS) de la Pointe du Castelli, à Piriac-sur-Mer (Loire-Atlantique, France)