Theoretical Repositioning of Automated Remote Sensing Archaeology: Shifting from Features to Ephemeral Landscapes

Automated remote sensing has made substantial breakthroughs for archaeological investigation. Over the past 20 years, the reliability of these methods has vastly improved, and the total number of practitioners has been increasing. Nonetheless, much of the work conducted, to date, focuses almost exclusively on specific topographic features and monumental architecture, ignoring the potential of automation to readily assess more ephemeral components of the archaeological record. Likewise, the emphasis on specific feature types overlooks broader landscape patterns, thus delegating automated remote sensing analysis as a method in and of itself, mostly disconnected from larger archaeological and anthropological investigations. Here, I review recent attempts to rectify this shortcoming by using automated analysis methods to record and explain ephemeral archaeological material distributions. While such research is limited, I argue that the successes achieved in these recent studies offer a pathway forward for automated remote sensing to become more fully integrated with archaeological work beyond the detection of specific topographically distinct features

Remote sensing data to support integrated decision making in cultural and natural heritage management. Impasses and opportunities for collaboration in agricultural areas

Remote and near surface sensing data are widely used in archaeology and heritage management for feature discovery, change detection and monitoring, as an input to predictive modelling, and in the planning process. While global and regional datasets are widely used for some purposes, data are regularly acquired specifically for archaeological projects because of the very high spatial resolution required for feature detection and assessments of archaeological significance and the need for data on subsurface features. The sensing data collected for archaeology cover limited areas and only a few types of sensors, known to produce data efficiently, are regularly employed. Precision agriculture is beginning to produce large quantities of varied sensing data across extensive landscape areas. This situation creates an opportunity to adapt and reuse precision agricultural data for archaeology and heritage work, extending covering and enhancing our understanding of archaeology in contemporary agricultural landscapes. Equally, there is potential for coordinated data collection, collecting data once for multiple applications, and to add value through analyses which bring together perspectives from multiple related domains to model long-term processes in anthropogenic soil systems. This article provides a high-level overview of policy and technological developments which create the potential for sensing data reuse, coordinated data collection, and collaborative analyses across archaeological, agricultural, and agri-environmental applications while underscoring the structural barriers which, at present, constrain this potential. It highlights examples where the development of interoperable data and workflows can promote tighter integration of archaeology and cultural heritage management with sustainable agricultural land management and support integrated decision making

Rapid elemental analysis using X-ray fluorescence and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and their applications in the Mississippian Meramec, Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma

X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) and Laser Induced Breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are rapid elemental analysis techniques for rock cores and cuttings. Elemental analysis is useful in understanding geochemical, mineralogical, diagenetic and petrophysical characteristics of rock formations. Specific elemental concentrations, or their ratios, can be used as proxies to understand sedimentary depositional environments, diagenetic overprints, and organics. High spatial resolution XRF and LIBS data acquisition allow the capture of high frequency spatial changes in rock formations, providing a more accurate decision input for the target zones in horizontal drilling. Also, elemental analysis on cuttings across multiple wells can help geoscientists build a more robust reservoir model. The application of these scanning techniques reduces analysis time and quickens decision making. Elemental analysis on eight cores of the Mississippian Meramec in STACK (Sooner Trend Anadarko basin Canadian and Kingfisher counties) play was conducted using XRF and LIBS instruments. High resolution mineralogy profiles were generated from elemental data using internal inversion software which showed a trend with clay increasing and calcite decreasing in the depositional direction (NW to SE). From this elemental mineralogy database, both geological and petrophysical information were extracted. A model to predict high resolution porosity profiles was built using XRF elemental and mineralogy data. Brittleness is a formation property used in completion decisions. Mineralogy composites from elemental data were used to calculate a brittleness index. Furthermore, I attempted to identify the zones with biogenic quartz using Si and Zr proxies. During the Mississippian period, most of the study area was covered by carbonate systems, and carbonate diagenesis was observed throughout the core. By integrating point count petrographic analysis with XRF data, quantification of carbonate diagenesis using Sr-ratio (Sr/(Ca+Mg)) was conducted. In the depositional direction, an increase of Sr-ratio implies that the formation suffered less carbonate diagenesis. High spatial resolution XRF data can capture formation heterogeneity. By comparing the 2 inch spatial resolution profile and 2 foot resolution profiles derived from smoothing XRF data, quantification of the degree of heterogeneity across the wells was performed. In the depositional direction, the formation became less heterogeneous as less discrepancy between the two rescaled data sets is observed. Lastly, in the distal direction, total organic carbon (TOC) concentration from LIBS as well as GRs and clay index were observed to increase

Reconstruction of climatic and crop conditions in the past based on the isotope signature of archaeobotanical remains

Reconstrucció de les condicions climàtiques i de conreu en el passata partir de l'anàlisi isotòpica de restes arqueobotàniquesL'aparició i progressiu desenvolupament de l'agricultura durant els darrers 10.000 anys ha alterat radicalmentl'estructura social i poblacional dels grups humans, així com la seva relació amb l'entorn. De fet, l'adopció del'agricultura pot constituir el primer exemple en el temps d'interacció recíproca entre el medi ambient i la humanitat.Per tant, la reconstrucció de les condicions ambientals (d'origen climàtic o degudes a l'acció humana) que vancaracteritzar aquest procés és de gran interès per tractar de conèixer-ne les causes, així com per entendre els efectes a llarg termini que ha tingut l'economia agrícola en el medi. L'objectiu general de la tesi és desenvolupar noves eines destinades a reconstrucció de les condicions climàtiques i de conreu durant l'origen i dispersió de l'agricultura a la prehistòria. La metodologia que es proposa està basada en l'estudi de les restes vegetals (fustes i llavors carbonitzades) que són recuperades rutinàriament en excavacions arqueològiques, posant especial èmfasi en l'ús dels isòtops estables com a indicadors paleoambientals. El treball es pot dividir en dos grans blocs. El primer pretén configurar l'entorn climàtic en el que va evolucionar l'agricultura, en tant que el segon se centra en la caracterització de les condicions específiques de creixement de les espècies conreades.El primer bloc té com a objectiu la posada a punt d'una metodologia que permeti quantificar els canvis d'aridesa en el passat, a partir de l'anàlisi isotòpica de carbons d'espècies forestals. Això requereix una calibració prèvia amb material actual, així com una valoració de l'efecte de la carbonització sobre la signatura isotòpica de la fusta. Al primer capítol, es va caracteritzar la signatura climàtica present a la composició isotòpica de carboni (d13C) de la fusta en condicions mediterrànies, fent servir Pinus halepensis Mill. i Quercus ilex L. Com a espècies de referència, trobant que en totes dues espècies aquesta es podia relacionar sobretot amb la precipitació. Al segon capítol, es va estudiar la relació entre el clima i la composició isotòpica d'oxigen (d18O) per P. halepensis, així com les diferències en la signatura isotòpica (d13C i d18O) present als dos components fonamentals de la fusta: cel×lulosa i lignina. Es va trobar que la component climàtica de la d13C és igualment present a cel×lulosa i lignina, en tant que per la d18º l'extracció de cel×lulosa és necessària per tal d'obtenir informació climàtica, fet que impedeix la seva aplicació en material arqueològic. Finalment, al tercer capítol es va poder demostrar com la carbonització, tot i alterar significativament la d13C de la fusta, no n'elimina la component climàtica original, que pot recuperar-se mitjançant una senzilla correcció, que fa servir el contingut de carboni com a variable de referència. Amb aquesta metodologia es reconstrueixen els canvis d'aridesa que han tingut lloc a les valls del Cinca i del Segre (Depressió de l'Ebre)durant els darrers 10.000 anys, trobant una major disponibilitat hídrica al llarg dels darrers mil×lenis que no pas en el present.El segon bloc aborda la descripció de diferents vessants de les condicions de conreu a l'agricultura prehistòrica, combinant l'anàlisi de la d13C amb mesures morfomètriques en llavors d'espècies conreades, fonamentalment cereals. El capítol quart constitueix una revisió crítica de les dades existent sobre isòtops estables en restes arqueobotàniques, proposant noves aproximacions per tal de maximitzar la informació que se'n pot derivar. Es mostra com la combinació d'anàlisis en espècies conreades i forestals, així com la comparació entre diferents conreus, pot ajudar a detectar canvis en la disponibilitat hídrica dels conreus, fruit de l'acció humana.El cinquè capítol desenvolupa una nova metodologia que permet estimar el pes del gra dels cereals conreats en el passat, a partir de les seves dimensions, tot considerant l'efecte de la carbonització. Això permet, per primer cop, establir una lligam directe entre les dades obtingudes a partir de restes arqueobotàniques i els estudis agronòmics. Finalment, el capítol sisè combina dades obtingudes a partir dels mètodes descrits en els tres capítols anteriors per resoldre les possibles causes dels canvis observats en la mida del gra als jaciments les valls del Cinca i del Segre durant els darrers 4.000 anys.Reconstrucción de las condiciones climáticas y de cultivo en el pasado a partir del análisis isotópico de restos arqueobotánicosLa aparición y progresivo desarrollo de la agricultura durante los últimos 10.000 años ha alterado radicalmente la estructura social y poblacional de los grupos humanos, así como su relación con el entorno. De hecho, la adopción de la agricultura puede que constituya el primer ejemplo en el tiempo de interacción recíproca entre el medio ambiente y la humanidad. De ahí que reconstruir las condiciones ambientales (de origen climático o debidas a la acción humana) que caracterizaron este proceso sea de gran interés para tratar de conocer sus posibles causas, así como para entender los efectos a largo plazo que ha tenido la economía agrícola en el medio. El objetivo general de esta tesis es el desarrollo de nuevas herramientas destinadas a reconstruir las condiciones climáticas y de cultivo durante el origen y dispersión de la agricultura en la prehistoria. La metodología propuesta se basa en el estudio de los restos vegetales (maderas y semillas carbonizadas) que son recuperados rutinariamente en excavaciones arqueológicas, poniendo especial énfasis en el empleo de los isótopos estables como indicadores paleoambientales.El trabajo se puede dividir en dos grandes bloques. El primero pretende configurar el entorno climático en el que evolucionó la agricultura, mientras que el segundo se centra en caracterizar las condiciones específicas decrecimiento de las especies cultivadas.El primer bloque tiene como objeto la puesta a punto de una metodología que permita cuantificar los cambios de aridez en el pasado, partiendo del análisis isotópico de carbones de especies forestales. Esto requiere una calibración previa con material actual, así como una valoración del efecto de la carbonización en la señal isotópica de la madera.En el primer capítulo, se caracterizó la señal climática presente en la composición isotópica de carbono (d13C) de la madera en condiciones mediterráneas, empleando Pinus halepensis Mill. y Quercus ilex L. como especies de referencia, encontrando que en ambas especies ésta se podía relacionar fundamentalmente con la precipitación. En el segundo capítulo, se estudió la relación entre el clima y la composición isotópica de oxígeno (d18O) para P.halepensis, así como las diferencias en la señal isotópica (d13C y d18O) presente en los dos componentes principales de la madera: celulosa y lignina. Se encontró que la señal climática de la d13C es igualmente presente en celulosa y lignina, mientras que para la d18O la extracción de celulosa es necesaria para obtener una información climática, lo que impide su aplicación en material carbonizado. Finalmente, en un tercer capítulo se demostró cómo la carbonización, si bien afecta significativamente la d13C de la madera, no elimina la señal climática original, que puede recuperarse mediante una simple corrección, incluyendo el contenido de carbono como variable de referencia.Mediante este metodología se reconstruyen los cambios de aridez ocurridos en los valles del Cinca y del Segre (Depresión del Ebro) durante los últimos 4.000 años, observando una mayor disponibilidad hídrica en los últimos milenios en relación con el presente.El segundo bloque se centra en describir diferentes aspectos de las condiciones de cultivo en la agriculturaprehistórica, combinando el análisis de la d13C con medidas morfométricas en semillas de especies cultivadas,fundamentalmente cereales. El capítulo cuarto constituye una revisión crítica de la información isotópica existente sobre restos arqueobotánicos, proponiendo nuevos enfoques destinados a maximizar la información extraíble a partir de estos datos. Se muestra cómo la combinación de análisis en especies cultivadas y forestales, así como la comparación entre cultivos, puede ayudar a detectar cambios en la disponibilidad hídrica de los cultivos debidos a la acción humana. El capítulo quinto desarrolla una nueva metodología que permite estimar el peso del grano en los cereales cultivados en el pasado, a partir de sus dimensiones, y considerando el efecto de la carbonización. Esto permite, por primera vez, una comparación directa entre los datos obtenidos a partir de restos arqueobotánicos y la bibliografía agronómica. Finalmente, el capítulo sexto combina datos obtenidos mediante los métodos descritos en los tres capítulos anteriores para resolver las posibles causas de los cambios en el tamaño del grano observados en los valles del Cinca y del Segre durante los últimos 4.000 años.Reconstruction of climatic and crop conditions in the past based on the isotope signature of archaeobotanical remainsThe onset and progressive development of agriculture during the last 10,000 years has modified radically thesocial and demographic structure of human groups, as well as their interaction with the environment. In fact, the adoption of agriculture is probably the first example of reciprocal interaction between the environment and the humanity. Thus, reconstructing the environmental conditions (either climatic or anthropogenic) that characterised this process is of great interest in order to know their potential causes, as well as to understand the long-term effects of agriculture economy on the environment. The general objective of this Thesis is the development of new tools addressed to the reconstruction of climatic and crop conditions during the origins and spread of agriculture in Prehistory. The proposed methodology is based on the study of plant remains (wood charcoal and charred seeds) routinely recovered during archaeological excavations, with special emphasis on the use of stable isotopes as palaeoenvironmental indicators. The work can be divided into two main blocks. The first attempts to get a picture of the climatic context in which evolved agriculture, while the second one is centred on the specific growing conditionsof cultivated crops.The objective of the first bock is to obtain a methodology allowing the quantification of aridity changes in thepast from the stable isotope analysis of wood charcoal from forest species. This requires a previous calibration with modern material, as well as the assessment of the effect of carbonisation on the stable isotope signature of wood.The first chapter characterises the climatic signature in carbon isotope composition (d13C) of wood in Mediterranean conditions, using Pinus halepensis Mill. and Quercus ilex L. as reference species, finding that in both species d13C is mostly related to precipitation. The second chapter studies the relationship between climate and oxygen isotope composition (d18O) for P. Halepensis, as well as the differences in the isotopic signature (d13C and d18O) in the two major components of wood: cellulose and lignin. We found that the climatic signal of d13C is equally present in cellulose and lignin, whereas for d18O cellulose extraction is necessary to obtain a climatic signal, which prevents its application in carbonised material. Finally, the third chapter shows how carbonisation, although affecting significantly the d13C of wood, does not remove the original climatic signal, which can be recovered by means of a simple correction, taking carbon concentration as a reference variable. Using this methodology, we reconstructed aridity changes in the Cinca and Segre valleys (Ebro Depression) during the last 4,000 years, finding greater water availability in the last millennia than in present.The second block describes different aspects of crop conditions in prehistoric agriculture, combining d13Canalyses with morphometrical variables of cultivated species, mostly cereals. Chapter four constitutes a critical review of the isotopic data available for archaeobotanical remains, proposing new approaches in order to maximise the information retrieved from these data. It shows how the combined analysis of crop and forest species, as well as the comparison among different crops, may help to detect human-driven changes in crop water availability. Chapter five develops a new methodology to estimate grain weight in cereals cultivated in the past, from charred grain dimensions, and considering the effect of carbonisation. This allows, for the first time, a direct comparison between archaeobotanical data and current agronomic studies. Finally, Chapter six combines data obtained using the methods described in the three former chapters to study the potential causes of the observed grain weight changes in Cinca and Segre valleys during the last 4,000 years

Development of separation methods and measurement protocols for Sr and Pb isotopic analysis of archaeological artefacts by means of single-collector and multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry

This work aimed at studying the isotopic composition of the elements strontium (Sr) and lead (Pb), that are present in low concentrations in a large variety of archaeological artefacts. For isotope ratio analysis, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) – a powerful technique for the determination of trace elements and isotope ratios – was used. An analytical strategy was developed, consisting of three key steps: (i) the complete dissolution of a small amount of the (solid) archaeological artefacts making use of concentrated mineral acids, allowing a quantitative recovery for Sr and/or Pb to be obtained, (ii) the isolation of Sr or Pb from its concomitant matrix via extraction chromatography, so that a purified Sr or Pb fraction was obtained and a quantitative recovery for Sr or Pb was established, and (iii) the accurate and precise determination of the isotopic composition of Sr and Pb via single-collector ICP-MS (equipped with one detector) and multi-collector ICP-MS (equipped with an array of detectors). The analytical strategy developed was subsequently applied to three archaeological projects. A first project made use of lead isotopic analysis for provenance determination of metallic artefacts in order to obtain insight into the metal trading network and the trade routes between the Roman Empire and the Indian subcontinent in the period 1st century BC – 2nd century AD. In a second project, lead isotopic analysis allowed to identify the sources of high lead concentrations retrieved in the bone tissue of infants from a Roman settlement. It was shown that the lead present in the infant bone tissue is a mix of lead originating from (i) the process of diagenesis – post-mortem lead exchange between bone and soil – and (ii) lead-enriched food consumed by the mother. A third project aimed at obtaining insight into the heterogeneity of the populations of two grave fields. An explorative study was carried out to distinguish individuals that lived locally and individuals that migrated during their life. For this purpose, the dental tissues (enamel and dentine) of a number of individuals were submitted to strontium isotopic analysis

Hyperspectral Imaging for Fine to Medium Scale Applications in Environmental Sciences

The aim of the Special Issue “Hyperspectral Imaging for Fine to Medium Scale Applications in Environmental Sciences” was to present a selection of innovative studies using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in different thematic fields. This intention reflects the technical developments in the last three decades, which have brought the capacity of HSI to provide spectrally, spatially and temporally detailed data, favoured by e.g., hyperspectral snapshot technologies, miniaturized hyperspectral sensors and hyperspectral microscopy imaging. The present book comprises a suite of papers in various fields of environmental sciences—geology/mineral exploration, digital soil mapping, mapping and characterization of vegetation, and sensing of water bodies (including under-ice and underwater applications). In addition, there are two rather methodically/technically-oriented contributions dealing with the optimized processing of UAV data and on the design and test of a multi-channel optical receiver for ground-based applications. All in all, this compilation documents that HSI is a multi-faceted research topic and will remain so in the future

Remote Sensing and Geosciences for Archaeology

This book collects more than 20 papers, written by renowned experts and scientists from across the globe, that showcase the state-of-the-art and forefront research in archaeological remote sensing and the use of geoscientific techniques to investigate archaeological records and cultural heritage. Very high resolution satellite images from optical and radar space-borne sensors, airborne multi-spectral images, ground penetrating radar, terrestrial laser scanning, 3D modelling, Geographyc Information Systems (GIS) are among the techniques used in the archaeological studies published in this book. The reader can learn how to use these instruments and sensors, also in combination, to investigate cultural landscapes, discover new sites, reconstruct paleo-landscapes, augment the knowledge of monuments, and assess the condition of heritage at risk. Case studies scattered across Europe, Asia and America are presented: from the World UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa to heritage under threat in the Middle East and North Africa, from coastal heritage in the intertidal flats of the German North Sea to Early and Neolithic settlements in Thessaly. Beginners will learn robust research methodologies and take inspiration; mature scholars will for sure derive inputs for new research and applications

Utilization of Lidar Intensity Data and Passive Visible Imagery for Geological Mapping of Planetary Surfaces

While lidar has been historically used for generating digital terrain maps and as a navigation tool, recent research demonstrates that lidar has many potential scientific applications, including high resolution analysis of geological outcrops. Case studies were completed at the Tunnunik impact structure, Victoria Island, Arctic Canada, and the Nickel Rim South mine, Sudbury, Canada, to assess the fidelity of characterizing and differentiating mineralogical and lithological units remotely by integrating passive visible imagery with lidar intensity data. Unsupervised classification via k-means clustering was performed on the fused datasets, with results indicating that lithologies can indeed be successfully differentiated with minor a priori knowledge of the setting. Semi-quantitative analysis through XRD of Tunnunik samples demonstrates that distance-corrected intensity is linked in a linear relationship with both dolomite and clay content. The simultaneous acquisition of both geospatial and scientific data greatly increases the applications and value of using lidar, especially for mining, geological mapping in remote environments, and for future planetary missions