5:15 PM - 6:45 PM
[HDS10-P04] Disaster Literacy Communication with Citizen Participation by the Sakurajima Volcano Research Center
Keywords:volcano observatory, Sakurajima, Disaster Literacy Communication
This study examines how volcanic observation information can be utilized for citizens' disaster literacy, based on a case study of open science by a university-affiliated volcano observatory. The volcanic eruption is the event with uncertainty, and it is important to let citizen to be aware of such uncertainty by communication.
Volcano observatories are one of the institutions that have an abundant knowledge about volcanoes. There are volcano observatories attached to the university with a long history of observation such as the Volcano Research Center of Kyoto University (established in 1928), the Sakurajima Volcano Observatory of Kyoto University (established in 1960), and the Kirishima Volcano Observatory of the Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo (established in 1963). These observatories are constantly observing volcanoes, analyzing phenomena mainly from a geophysical perspective, and utilizing the results obtained for research and education. In this study, we examine the roles of the university observatory for citizens' disaster literacy, based on the activities of the Sakurajima Volcano Research Center (SVRC), which observes Sakurajima, one of the most active volcanoes in Japan.
The SVRC was established in December 1960 as an affiliated facility of Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University. Sakurajima became volcanically active after the summit explosion of Mt. Ninamidake. Kenzo Sassa, a professor at Kyoto University, conducted observations and research at the request of residents after the eruption. The eruption was considered to be prolonged. He discussed with the Ministry of Education about the need for continuous observation and research facilities, which led to the establishment of the observatory.
As Sakurajima Volcano erupt conituously, the public is highly interested in the SVRC. On the other hand, it is difficult for the observatory to open its facilities to the public at all times, due to the fact that they constantly observing the volcano using high sensitivity instruments. Therefore, several efforts are being made to make observatory open to the citizen as follows. (1) they provide real-time observation data available to citizen at the Sakurajima Visitor Center, which is visited by many tourists, and (2) conducted an open-facility tour.
First, the SVRC provides real-time observation data at the Sakurajima Visitor Center, the information station for tourists visiting Sakurajima. The Sakurajima Visitor Center is a museum that exhibits the history of the Sakurajima eruption, the natural environment, and the lives of local people and it is managed by the Sakurajima Museum, a non-profit organization. The real-time observation data from SVRC is open to the public. Next to the monitor is a panel that explains which instruments are used for which data, and the data are displayed together with observation records.
Second, SVRC open their facilities to the public once a year as a part of an open laboratory program of Kyoto University (Kyodai Weeks). The SVRC coordinate a special tour to visit several facilities. The tour took place on July 22, 2023, in cooperation with Sakurajima Geosaluku, a non-profit organization by geo-tour guides which organizes and manages guided tours in the Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark. 284 people applied for a total capacity of 80 people. The breakdown of applicants for the tour was 3% (9 persons) from Sakurajima, 61% (175 persons) from Kagoshima City (excluding Sakurajima), 25% (73 persons) from within Kagoshima Prefecture, and 9% (27 persons) from outside the prefecture. Participant demographics indicate that locals are highly interested in the SVRC, which shows the necessity to open the facility.
In the process to opening observatory data or open facility by SVRC, the information about the observatory was interpreted and communicated to citizens in an easy-to-understand manner. This means by fostering citizen participation to science together the science would be sophisticated and easy to access and the supporters, play a role to connect science and citizen boundary and this suggests the importance of “boundary workers” who make a connection over the “boundary”
Volcano observatories are one of the institutions that have an abundant knowledge about volcanoes. There are volcano observatories attached to the university with a long history of observation such as the Volcano Research Center of Kyoto University (established in 1928), the Sakurajima Volcano Observatory of Kyoto University (established in 1960), and the Kirishima Volcano Observatory of the Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo (established in 1963). These observatories are constantly observing volcanoes, analyzing phenomena mainly from a geophysical perspective, and utilizing the results obtained for research and education. In this study, we examine the roles of the university observatory for citizens' disaster literacy, based on the activities of the Sakurajima Volcano Research Center (SVRC), which observes Sakurajima, one of the most active volcanoes in Japan.
The SVRC was established in December 1960 as an affiliated facility of Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University. Sakurajima became volcanically active after the summit explosion of Mt. Ninamidake. Kenzo Sassa, a professor at Kyoto University, conducted observations and research at the request of residents after the eruption. The eruption was considered to be prolonged. He discussed with the Ministry of Education about the need for continuous observation and research facilities, which led to the establishment of the observatory.
As Sakurajima Volcano erupt conituously, the public is highly interested in the SVRC. On the other hand, it is difficult for the observatory to open its facilities to the public at all times, due to the fact that they constantly observing the volcano using high sensitivity instruments. Therefore, several efforts are being made to make observatory open to the citizen as follows. (1) they provide real-time observation data available to citizen at the Sakurajima Visitor Center, which is visited by many tourists, and (2) conducted an open-facility tour.
First, the SVRC provides real-time observation data at the Sakurajima Visitor Center, the information station for tourists visiting Sakurajima. The Sakurajima Visitor Center is a museum that exhibits the history of the Sakurajima eruption, the natural environment, and the lives of local people and it is managed by the Sakurajima Museum, a non-profit organization. The real-time observation data from SVRC is open to the public. Next to the monitor is a panel that explains which instruments are used for which data, and the data are displayed together with observation records.
Second, SVRC open their facilities to the public once a year as a part of an open laboratory program of Kyoto University (Kyodai Weeks). The SVRC coordinate a special tour to visit several facilities. The tour took place on July 22, 2023, in cooperation with Sakurajima Geosaluku, a non-profit organization by geo-tour guides which organizes and manages guided tours in the Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark. 284 people applied for a total capacity of 80 people. The breakdown of applicants for the tour was 3% (9 persons) from Sakurajima, 61% (175 persons) from Kagoshima City (excluding Sakurajima), 25% (73 persons) from within Kagoshima Prefecture, and 9% (27 persons) from outside the prefecture. Participant demographics indicate that locals are highly interested in the SVRC, which shows the necessity to open the facility.
In the process to opening observatory data or open facility by SVRC, the information about the observatory was interpreted and communicated to citizens in an easy-to-understand manner. This means by fostering citizen participation to science together the science would be sophisticated and easy to access and the supporters, play a role to connect science and citizen boundary and this suggests the importance of “boundary workers” who make a connection over the “boundary”