Application of imaging polarimeters to enhanced detection of stone carving

Abstract

Abstract The enhanced detection and identification of stone carvings is significant for the remote sensing and digital museum project of cultural relic. In addition, imaging polarimeters have the potential to be efficient detectors owing to their superiority in terms of their capability of recognizing object contours and surface roughness. In this paper, the polarization changes of stone materials with different angles and varying degrees of roughness are theoretically analyzed and detected by a high-precision imaging polarimeter based on the liquid crystal variable retarder (LCVR) innovatively. It is observed that the detection of carving characteristics is enhanced in polarized imaging owing to the depressed background and enhanced contrast. The experimental finding indicates that polarized imaging has an exciting function in the remote sensing of stone carvings and enhanced detecting of the fuzzy inscriptions. This kind of specialized photography complements other, equally important recording techniques in the quest for comprehensive documentation of faint carvings.