APPLIED GEOPHYSICS FOR ARCHAEOLOGY
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher:
SEBASTIANO IMPOSA
Expected Learning Outcomes
The course has the declared objective of providing adequate knowledge on
the use of the main techniques of non-invasive geophysical investigations in
the application field, aimed at the reconstruction of the subsoil to highlight
the existence of any anomalies related to the presence of buried structures,
bringing contributions in the design, planning and construction phases of
archaeological excavations. The use of geophysical methodologies varies
according to the different lithological, topographic, morphological conditions
present in the sites to be investigated and the target to be discovered, so it
is essential to achieve a good knowledge of the investigation methodologies.
This will allow you to acquire a whole series of skills that will allow you to be
in a position to select the geophysical methodology that best suits you, for
the intended purpose and its application capacity.
Course Structure
Lectures; field trips for data acquisition; laboratory data processing.
Required Prerequisites
No prerequisites required
Attendance of Lessons
Attendance is not compulsory.
Detailed Course Content
Geoelectric Methods: The electrical resistivity of rocks. Archie's
formula. Instrumentation for geoelectric investigations. Energising section.
Receiving section. Signal acquisition in cases of low signal to noise ratio.
Resistivity method. Electrode devices. Resistivity profiles and surveys. Data
acquisition in the field. Data analysis and interpretation. The use of software
for inversion and interpretation. Apparent resistivity maps, pseudosection.
Reconstruction of the substrate and choice of the most appropriate
geoelectrical quadripole for archaeological campaigns. Choice of methodologies
to be used in the campaign for the optimisation of investigations. 2D and 3D
electrical tomography. Application cases.
Seismic Methods:
Active and passive seismic methods: Principles of elasticity theory. Elastic
constants. Wave equation. Volume waves and surface waves. Wave propagation.
Snell's law. Fermat's principle. Seismic instrumentation. Seismic sources.
Campaign methods in refraction seismics. Choice of methods to be used in the
campaign for the optimisation of surveys for the identification and
delimitation of crypts and/or buried cavities. Seismic tomography. Effects due
to heterogeneity, geometric and topographical irregularities caused by the
presence of cavities by applying the Nakamura technique or spectral ratios
(HVSR). Application cases.
Electromagnetic Methods: The Ground Penetrating
Radar (georadar). Instrument characteristics and operating principles.
Configuration of transmitting and receiving antennas. Choice of antenna
frequency. Acquisition of radar profiles, data processing and interpretation.
Considerations and limitations on G.P.R. prospecting. Application examples. Notes
on other geophysical methodologies such as magnetometry to define magnetic and
gradient maps in order to delineate the presence of archaeological remains;
ultrasounds to characterise and define the thicknesses and characteristics of
structural elements. Application
cases.
Textbook Information
Mod. A (2 CFU)
- Coco
G., Corrao M. “Geofisica applicata con particolare riferimento alle prospezioni
sismiche, elettriche, elettromagnetiche e geotermiche. Flaccovio Dario editore,
pp. 240, 2009.
Mod. B (2 CFU)
- Corrao
M., Coco G. (2021): Geofisica Applicata – III edizione. Flaccovio Dario
editore., pp. 272.
Mod. C (2 CFU)
- Federica
Boschi 2020:
“Archeologia senza scavo. Geofisica e indagini non invasive”, Bononia
University Press, pp. 292
Please remember that in compliance with art 171
L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or
journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.
For further information on sanctions and regulations
concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee
Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione
Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian
Association on Copyright).
All
the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.
Course Planning
| | Subjects | Text References |
|---|
| 1 | Geoelectric Methods: The
electrical resistivity of rocks. Archie's formula. Instrumentation for
geoelectric surveys | |
| 2 | Energizing section. Receiving section. Signal
acquisition in cases of low signal/noise ratio | |
| 3 | Resistivity method. Electrode devices. Resistivity
profiles and surveys. | |
| 4 | The acquisition of data in the countryside. Data
analysis and interpretation | |
| 5 | The use of software for inversion and
interpretation. Maps of apparent resistivity, pseudosections | |
| 6 | Reconstruction of the substrate and choice of the
most appropriate geoelectric quadripole for archaeological surveys | |
| 7 | Choice of methodologies to be used in the
countryside for the optimization of surveys | |
| 8 | 2D and 3D electrical tomography. Case study. | |
| 9 | Active and passive seismic
methods: Principles of elasticity theory. Elastic
constants. Wave equation. Volume waves and surface waves. Wave propagation | |
| 10 | Snell's law. Fermat's principle. Seismic
instrumentation. Seismic sources. Campaign methods in refractive seismics | |
| 11 | Choice of methodologies to be used in the
countryside for the optimization of investigations for the identification and
delimitation of crypts and / or buried cavities | |
| 12 | Seismic tomography | |
| 13 | .Effects due to heterogeneity, geometric and
topographic irregularities caused by the presence of cavities through the
application of Nakamura's technique or spectral ratios (HVSR). | |
| 14 | Electromagnetic Methods: The
Ground Penetrating Radar (georadar). Features of the tool and principles. | |
| 15 | Configuration of transmitting and receiving
antennas. Choice of antenna frequency. | |
| 16 | Choice of antenna frequency. Acquisition of radar
profiles, processing and interpretation of data | |
| 17 | Considerations and limits on prospecting G.P.R.
Case study. | |
| 18 | Notes on
other geophysical methodologies such as magnetometry to define magnetic and
gradient maps in order to outline the presence of archaeological remains;
ultrasound to characterize and define the thicknesses and characteristics of
structural elements | |
