Volcanic stratigraphy archiving in Patagonia as a tool for conservation, outreach, and risk awareness

This paper describes how we use volcanic stratigraphy archives, called ‘sediment plates’ or ‘epoxy plates’, primarily as a communication tool to raise hazards and risk awareness in Chaitén, Chile. The epoxy plates (and associated audiovisual contents) were created through a transdisciplinary collaboration between social and physical volcanologists, and the Museo de Sitio de Chaitén - dedicated to preserve the memory of the 2008 volcanic disaster. The main objectives of this work are to (i) highlight the value of epoxy plates, as a risk education tool, based on the case of Chaitén; and (ii) enable the replication and adaptation of the method in other socio-cultural and environmental contexts. We see the epoxy plates as aesthetic objects that make science accessible to the public in a new way at the local museum, revealing the unknown volcanic history of the area. This is important because the local community tends to consider the 2008 eruption as a unique and exceptional event, which inherently biases their risk awareness, as volcanological studies report various eruptions of Chaitén. We detail the stages of the project and possible methodological improvements that could be useful to actors involved in geoheritage, geotourism, research and education.