Identification of buried archaeological features using the curvelet transform

We present an application of the curvelet transform fusion method between geophysical and remote sensing data. The method was tested in two different archaeological areas in Greece with different historical, archaeological, and environmental characteristics. The final fused images combined all available information reducing the noise and enhancing the interesting features

Tomographic Imaging of Ancient Wall Foundations in Thessaloniki, North Greece

Introduction A survey involving both surface and cross borehole Electrical Resistivity Tomographies (ERTs) is described. It was conducted at various parts of the western wall of the city of Thessaloniki (N. Greece) aiming to estimate the extent of the walls’ foundations. The Thessaloniki city walls have been initially erected during the Hellinistic and early Roman period. A second phase, which is partly preserved until today, was build during the Byzantine period. It runs parallel to the olde..

3D Inversion of Automated Resistivity Profiling (ARP) Data

Electrical resistivity is a well established and widely used prospection method. The technique has also become a valuable and inseparable tool in archaeological site evaluation and excavation planning (Clark, 1990). Nowadays, it is routinely used in mapping the sub-surface resistivity variation of an archaeological site. The compilation of maps that transform the geophysical results into images that resemble a plane view of buried relics comprises the ultimate goal of geoelectrical prospectio..

3D Inversion of Automated Resistivity Profiling (ARP) Data

Electrical resistivity is a well established and widely used prospection method. The technique has also become a valuable and inseparable tool in archaeological site evaluation and excavation planning (Clark, 1990). Nowadays, it is routinely used in mapping the sub-surface resistivity variation of an archaeological site. The compilation of maps that transform the geophysical results into images that resemble a plane view of buried relics comprises the ultimate goal of geoelectrical prospectio..

Geophysical prospecting in the Krousovitis dam (N. Greece) by seismic and resistivity methods

Abstract: The use of two geophysical methods in the investigation of the geological setting in the area of a dam foundation is presented in this study. The seismic method was used in order to map the structure of the upper layers near the riverbed. VES and resistivity tomographs were also carried out. The depth to the basement was estimated by interpreting the VES curves. Interpretation of the topographic images, along with the inferred models from the seismic data, revealed the thickness of the colluvial deposits

Tumuli exploration using surface 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography

Introduction The direct current resistivity method is nowadays a well established geophysical technique, used routinely and successfully in the detection and mapping of concealed subsurface structures, like walls, ditches and anthropogenic or natural cavities (Dahlin and Zhou, 2004). In archaeological geophysics, tombs constitute the most common subterranean manmade cavities of the greatest archaeological and historical importance. Several successful case studies in the detection of tombs hav..

Geophysical Surveys for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Preservation

The knowledge that archaeological prospection is shaped by modern attitudes and procedures is important to the future of archaeology. Although geophysical studies have been applied to archaeological and historical sites over time with intermittent success, it is possible to derive great effects when used appropriately. It is most significant when applied in a well-integrated research design where interpretations are established and explored. The representation of survey data involves the knowledge of both archaeological evidence and the way it is stated in geophysical terms. Proper instrumentation, study design, and information processing are important for success, and these must be adapted according to the specific geology and archaeological evidence of each survey location. In this context, the regulation of information quality and spatial quality are important. This Special Issue of the Heritage journal expects to accumulate unique research articles on geophysical surveys for archaeology and cultural heritage preservation

Geophysical investigations of tumuli: a continuously challenging problem

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A Pixel-Based Semi-Stochastic Algorithm for the Registration of Geophysical Images.

The availability of overlapping geophysical data produced by different sensors provides complementary information about the investigation area. However, joint interpretation of these geophysical images is challenging. One common problem is the registration of the images that is necessary to compare features appearing in dissimilar datasets. Measurements in archeological geophysics are often performed by handheld devices therefore, the actual location of the measurement could be different from the planned one. These offsets are localized and essentially random. Consequently, it is impossible to correct them following usual deterministic approaches. This paper presents a novel registration method between geophysical images produced from different prospecting methods. We developed a semi-stochastic, iterative registration algorithm that applies random local transformations in small randomly selected regions of the processed image. The algorithm uses the mutual information of the images as similarity measure due to its suitability in images of different modalities. We use a pair of images to train the algorithm and tune its parameters. Afterwards, we test the method with nine different pairs of geophysical images from various locations and characteristics. The results, in all cases, show a significant increase of the mutual information in comparison with the registration through geographical coordinates