创建世界上最大的火山洞的3D地图，以帮助未来的太空任务

Despite being hundreds of thousands of kilometres apart, the island of Lanzarote and the Moon share remarkable similarities. The Spanish island, belonging to the Canary archipelago in the Atlantic, is home to the world’s largest volcanic cave and exceptional scenery that resembles the lunar landscape. So much in fact that the island has been chosen as a location for astronaut training ahead of space missions. More recently, Lanzarote’s Corona lava tube has helped prepare teams at the European Space Agency to explore and study caves of similar characteristics observed on the Moon and on planets like Mars.

As a result of the latest advancements and innovation in geospatial technology, several field surveys were conducted in 2017 led by Tommaso Santagata from the Virtual Geographic AgencyVigea，部署3D Terrestrial Laser Scanning(TLS) and移动映射解决方案，导致地球上最大的熔岩管的第一个3D复制品。

Exploring the depths of the Corona lava tube

位于兰萨罗特岛以北,日冕熔岩tube extends over 8.5 kilometres and is made up of both dry and submerged passages, with some sections more than 25 metres wide. Although the first explorations and initial mapping began in the seventies, its real extension was practically unknown until the early sixties when the first topographic survey was carried out. This latest and most ambitious 3D scanning project, commissioned by the local government, Cabildo de Lanzarote, also implemented the latest mobile mapping technology, which is part of the European Space Agency’s training course PANGAEA-X. This training allows them to test new instruments and technologies that will be used in future space missions.

In order to successfully execute this project, various field surveys were completed over the course of a year deploying a variety of Leica Geosystems solutions, including theLeica HDS7000，，，，Leica ScanStation P40andLeica BLK360laser scanners, as well as theLeica Pegasus:Backpack移动映射解决方案。结果是地球上熔岩管的最大3D复制品，绘制了5.7公里的洞穴通道。

Capturing every detail with the latest laser scanning technology

完成了三个单独的调查和超过440张扫描，以绘制熔岩管系统，该系统由通过外部倒塌相互连接的不同部分组成。这些崩溃用于地理参考，在外表面的洞穴内进行的激光扫描调查。通过来自西班牙地质服务的全球导航卫星系统（GNSS）测量，光检测和范围（LIDAR）数据，这是可能的，通过沿洞穴路径的无人机（UAV）飞行获得的摄影测量数据。

更具体地说，使用HDS7000绘制了800米的上述海平面通道，并使用扫描仪P40估计五公里。此外，在Pangaea-X探险期间，还部署了BLK360成像激光扫描仪以扫描约300米的高层。

Increased accuracy and mobility with the Leica Pegasus:Backpack

To generate an even more detailed 3D map, a survey was performed using the Pegasus:Backpack mobile mapping solution. Designed to capture 3D data in overground and underground environments, with images and point clouds collected by five cameras and two LiDAR profilers. Its lightweight and ergonomic structure allowed teams to comfortably navigate the difficult terrain and to instantly visualise the data on a handheld tablet computer.

“Due to the intricate and subterranean nature of the lava tube system, the Pegasus:Backpack was deployed to acquire fused SLAM data — starting and ending in outdoor environments with GNSS data, but largely exploring the cave without satellite coverage,” explains Tommaso Santagata, Co-Founder of Virtual Geographic Agency Vigea 3D and an expert on Lanzarote’s volcanic cave system. As the lengthiest part of the mission was carried out without any GNSS information, the second phase of the data processing was to reinforce the calculation of the path recorded using a SLAM algorithm and the information obtained by the LiDAR mounted on the Pegasus:Backpack.

处理数据并创建最终的3D地图

“收集了大量数据 - 仅与原始激光扫描数据相对应的400 GB -Leica Cyclone3D point cloud processing office software was then deployed to align the scans and process a unified point cloud of the cave,” says Santagata. “Once the 3D map was available in a single point cloud, several outputs were generated as topographic maps with plans and sections of the lava tube.” In addition, the data was subsequently used to produce comparisons with other lava tubes on earth, with the objective of studying similar features on the Moon and Mars — this operation was performed using theAutodesk AutoCAD2017 software.

Aside from its scientific purposes and training for future space missions, the data was also used to produce multimedia and interactive contents like video animations, virtual reality and desktop applications showing the wider public the lesser known parts of the Corona lava tube system. Only limited sections are open to the public at Cueva de Los Verdes and Jameos del Agua. Furthermore, the results of this project were presented during an event on the management of touristic caves organised by the Cabildo de Lanzarote in 2019, where a virtual reality stand was installed to show the cave to the public.

最新探险更新：支持搜索“进食”细菌

2021年春季，桑塔加塔（Santagata）返回兰萨罗特（Lanzarote），以支持微生物学研究项目。由塞维利亚自然资源与农业生物学研究所（CSIC）的地球生物学家安娜·米勒（Ana Miller）领导的Tubolan项目是为研究生活在Lanzarote Lava Tube Tube Systems中的微生物的。该团队的发现将帮助那些在月球和火星上寻找生活的人，这些人也有熔岩系统。尽管这些条件与地球上的条件不同，但理论上也可以支持火星和月球洞穴系统，也可以支持通过使用和转化矿物质生存和生长的化学自由营养微生物。在Tubolan项目的框架中，Santagata使用Leica BLK360制作扫描和360度视频，这有助于研究洞穴的形成，并发现比以往任何时候都更多的洞穴地理。可以观看令人惊叹的视频镜头维亚的YouTube频道。

Further reading:
SAURO F., POZZOBON R., SANTAGATA T., TOMASI I., TONELLO M., MARTÍNEZ-FRÍAS J., SMETS L.M., GÓMEZ G.D., MASSIRONI M. (2019)Volcanic Caves of Lanzarote: A Natural Laboratory for Understanding Volcano-Speleogenetic Processes and Planetary Caves.In Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands Geopark: From Earth to Space (pp. 125-142). Springer, Cham.

Sauro F.，Pozzobon R.，Massironi M.，de Bernardinis P.，Santagata T.，de Waele J.（2020）Lava tubes on Earth, Moon and Mars: a review on their size and morphology revealed by comparative planetology。地球科学评论103288。