Monitoring and Detecting Archaeological Features with Multi-Frequency Polarimetric Analysis

Jolanda Patruno,Jose Manuel Delgado Blasco,Magdalena Fitrzyk

doi:10.3390/rs12010001

Jolanda Patruno, Jose Manuel Delgado Blasco + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12010001

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Abstract

In remote sensing for archaeology, an unequivocal method capable of automatic detection of archaeological features still does not exists. Applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing for archaeology mainly focus on high spatial resolution SAR sensors, which allow the recognition of structures of small dimension and give information of the surface topography of sites. In this study we investigated the potential of combined dual and fully polarized SAR data and performed polarimetric multi-frequency and multi-incidence angle analysis of C-band Sentinel-1, L-band Advanced Land Observing Satellite Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) and of C-band Radar Satellite-2 (RADARSAT-2) datasets for the detection of surface and subsurface archaeological structures over the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) site of Gebel Barkal (Sudan). While PALSAR offers a good historical reference, Sentinel-1 time series provide recent and systematic monitoring opportunities. RADARSAT-2 polarimetric data have been specifically acquired in 2012/2013, and have been scheduled to achieve a multi-temporal observation of the archaeological area under study. This work demonstrated how to exploit a complex but significant dataset composed of SAR full polarimetric and dual polarimetric acquisitions, with the purpose of identifying the most suitable earth observation technique for the preservation and identification of archaeological features. The scientific potential of the illustrated analysis fits perfectly with the current delicate needs of cultural heritage; such analysis demonstrates how multi-temporal and multi-data cultural heritage monitoring can be applied not only for documentation purposes, but can be addressed especially to those areas exposed to threats of different nature that require a constant and prompt intervention plans.

Highlights

The integration of a very specific and technical topic like Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing with a humanistic field of research like archaeology can be considered an interesting challenge [1]
This work demonstrated how to exploit a complex but significant dataset composed of SAR full polarimetric and dual polarimetric acquisitions, with the purpose of identifying the most suitable earth observation technique for the preservation and identification of archaeological features
The work described in this article inserts its contribution in the growing field of new technologies applied to traditional archaeological investigation

Summary

Introduction

The integration of a very specific and technical topic like SAR remote sensing with a humanistic field of research like archaeology can be considered an interesting challenge [1]. Besides the already proven capabilities of optical remote sensing for cultural heritage [2], SAR applications for archaeology [3] make these two scientific fields converge in a productive and non-invasive collaboration [4,5], ideally made of archaeologists and scientists, both of whom require specific knowledge. This synergy of humanistic and technological fields offers great opportunities for worldwide heritage mapping and consciousness. Use of satellite synthetic aperture radar in archaeology provides a new and powerful tool in the study of cultural heritage, especially thanks to the possibility to extract, in specific cases, information about ancient complexes behind the contemporary landscape [6].

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