## 2 Description of Volcanological Site Known as the \"Metaxa Mine\"  
Santorini is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, a destination where history meets geology. The name \"Strongyli,\" due to its geological nature, the renowned \"Thira\" in honor of the Lacedaemonian commander [PERSON] and the lesser known \"Dirmetzik\" are only few of the names given to the island over time. The current name \"Santorini\" was given by the Franks in the 12 th Century as a reference to the church of Santa Irene. No other island has ever been so often documented in myths (Chimera Myth, Talos Myth), archaeological and historical data [43]. Santorini (or Thira) does not consist of a single volcano, but of several volcanic centers, which merged after successive volcanic eruptions [44]. Consequently, the whole island is a wonderful natural laboratory of great scientific, historical and geological interest. The impressive, water-filled caldera, which is one of the largest in the world with dimensions of \(11\times 8\) km, encompasses the volcanic islands of Palaea (Old) and Nea (New) Kameni [45; 46]. The caldera depression was created after a major eruption, during which the volcanic dome collapsed as a result of the rapid emptying of the magma chamber [47]. The active volcanic centers of Palaea and Nea Kameni, along with the rest of the islands of Santorini (Thira, Thirasia and Aspronisi), the Christiana volcanic islands in the southwest and the Kolumbo submarine volcano in the northeast (Figure 2a), have long been the focus of international interdisciplinary research (geology, archaeology, history, oceanography and biology). The uniqueness and significance of Santorini is related to the active volcano, which counts 2.5 million years of history and belongs to the modern Aegean Volcanic Arc. During the last 350,000 years, 12 violent volcanic eruptions have occurred, at least four of which caused the caldera collapse of the volcanic edifice [44]. The latest major eruption, also known as \"Minoan Eruption,\" took place approximately 3600 years ago, during the Late Bronze Age [48]. The most significant outcome, in terms of the island's geomorphology, was the collapse of a massive part of the Strongyli island and the creation of the modern caldera. It was one of the most crucial eruption of historical times, during which 30-40 km\({}^{3}\) of magma were erupted and the height of the explosive column is estimated to have reached 36-39 km into the stratosphere. Tons of ash and volcanic material buried the prosperous prehistoric city of Akrotiri in 1500 B.C. The rapidly spread, superheated volcanic flows caused a tsunami, which is estimated to have reached a height of 30 m and struck the coast of Crete, contributing to the decline of the Minoan civilization [15]. The sheer magnitude of the eruption affected not only the Cyclades and the Aegean but also contributed significantly to a climate change around the globe. Since then, the volcano of Santorini has erupted several times, constantly changing the morphology of the island through the creation of new landscapes and demolition of former ones [49]. Within the flooded caldera, a volcanic dome emerged from the seafloor, representing the base of the present-day Kameni islands [50]. The latest lava emission and occurrence of volcanic smog took place in 1950 on Nea Kameni, the newest land in Santorini and Europe. The Metaxas mine, located in Thira Island, is a model geosite as it is an experiential destination that can be visited all year long, has a systematic geological record and a long pumice mining history, while several recent initiatives exist for deploying innovative digital virtual and augmented reality technologies. Being an abundant mine, the landscape presents an asymmetrical morphology, with almost vertical and overhanging cliffs, debris flow deposits and anthropogenic interventions, while its floor is heterogeneous, scattered with small hills corresponding to covered excavation materials (Figure 3a,b).