FIXED-FREQUENCY RADIO-WAVE IMAGING OF SUBSURFACE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES: A MINIMALLY INVASIVE TECHNIQUE FOR STUDYING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES*

Authors: L. SOMERS1; N. LINFORD2; W. PENN3; A. DAVID2; L. URRY4; R. WALKER5

Source: Archaeometry, Volume 47, Number 1, February 2005 , pp. 159-173(15)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content

Abstract:

In memoriam Tony Clark

Sadly, this research marked the last field visit to the test site that the authors were able to share with their colleague Tony Clark. His enthusiasm, experience and encouragement inspired us to complete this project that, to many, must have appeared as grown men at play in a sand pit.

A new approach to subsurface exploration has been developed, based on fixed-frequency radio-wave illumination from a buried transmitter. Data are collected from a buried, continuous wave source with a phase-coherent surface-scanning receiver and recorded in a digital archive from which images of the archaeological features are subsequently produced. An important feature of this approach is the opportunity to separate the data collection and archive functions, which form an uncompromised record of the site, from the more subjective image formation function. This paper reports the results of a feasibility assessment programme and discusses the future application of the method to real archaeological sites.

Keywords: RAYLEIGH–SOMMERFELD; PHASE COHERENCE; IMAGING; ARCHAEOLOGY; GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2005.00194.x

Affiliations: 1: Geoscan Research—USA, Sea Ranch, California, USA 2: Archaeometry Branch, English Heritage Centre for Archaeology, Fort Cumberland, Eastney, Portsmouth PO4 9LD, UK 3: Department of Electrical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244–1240, USA 4: Department of Radio Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720–3411, USA 5: Geoscan Research, Heather Brae, Chrisharben Park, Clayton BD14 6AE, UK

* This feature is in beta and some links may initially be displayed as numbers instead of article titles. Clicking on any of the links will take you to the recommended articles, regardless of the display of the link.

The full text article is available for purchase

$42.63 plus tax

 

OR

Back to top

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content
Page Help Click here for Page Help
Shopping cart
Tools
Sign in






Need to register?
Sign up here
Text size: A | A | A | A