## 7 Conclusions  
We described an approach devoted to making volcanic features available to the scientific community and the lay public, based on a new, cutting-edge methodology for sharing virtual geosites (VGs). This is a major tool for popularizing and explaining geological features and processes; by using the methodology described above, viewers can remotely navigate across the outcrops as if they were directly working in the field. To show the broad applicability of this approach, we chose nine VGs belonging to the island of Santorini, a world-renowned, active volcanic complex in the Aegean Sea, Greece. The VGs selected belong to the category of volcanic features, among which particularly important, for our case study, are the volcanic successions derived from a gigantic eruption (the Minoan eruption) that shaped the course of history in the Mediterranean region. We accurately and extensively described the nine VGs in a \"virtual geotour mode\" and made them available online, in such a way as to allow access to the readers and based on our descriptions, to gain a better knowledge of volcanic features and processes. Moreover, we briefly assessed the nine VGs and highlighted their major scientific and educational value. Finally, we showed the use of a WebGIS platform, which represents an added value compared with previous research in this field, to make our VGs available and accessible to the viewers. The platform enables viewers to observe overall the VG aerial distribution and arrangement in the field. We hope our work represents a model for the future, which will lead to similar efforts devoted to popularizing Earth science and making geoineritage contents accessible online to both scientists and the lay public.  
[PERSON] focused on the introduction and geoheriitage sections, and the conclusions; [PERSON] and [PERSON] wrote the geological background section and the description of the VGs. [PERSON] designed and created the WebGIS platform. F.L.B. directed the drone-based image collection campaign in the field, and focused on virtual outcrop preparation. P.N. collaborated in the description of the VGs and WebGIS platform; [PERSON] collaborated with F.L.B. in the drone-based image collection campaign; [PERSON] and [PERSON] both collaborated in describing the VGs and webGIS platform. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.  
This study was conducted in the framework of the International Lithosphere Program-Task Force II and it is also an outcome of (i) Project MIUR--Dipartimenti di Cecellenza 2018-2022 and (ii) GeoVires, the Virtual Reality Lab for Earth Sciences, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Italy (Available online: [[https://geovires.unimib.it/](https://geovires.unimib.it/)]([https://geovires.unimib.it/](https://geovires.unimib.it/)) (accessed on 11 February 2021)). Finally, Agisoft Metashape is acknowledged for photogrammetric data processing. The authors would like to acknowledge the \"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE\" of the \"Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EPANEK),\" NSRF 2014-2020, R.G. 15336 (Research project: VIRTUALDiver) for the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment. Also, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is acknowledge for providing an educational license for Esri ArcGIS Hub.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.