High‐resolution magnetic survey in a quasi‐urban environment

Abstract

A high‐resolution magnetic survey was performed on a large cultivated field located inside a heavily built‐up town in Southern Italy. Measurements with a vertical gradiometer were even carried out relatively close (down to 35 m) to sources of strong magnetic noise. Despite these particularly unfavourable surroundings, the geophysical investigation made it possible to detect and recognize buried archaeological remains from the Neolithic age.

Rediscovering the small theatre and amphitheatre of ancient Ierapytna (SE Crete) by integrated geophysical methods

“…Recently, geophysical techniques have started to be applied as a method for capturing the integrity degree of standing monuments (e.g. Pérez-Gracia et al, 2008;Masini et al, 2010;Tsourlos and Tsokas, 2011) or investigating the complex changes of the physical environment in urbanized regions giving rise to the relatively new study field of "urban geophysics" (Basile et al, 2000;Ciminale and Gallo, 2008;Papadopoulos et al, 2009;Drahor, 2011;Drahor et al, 2011).…”

Advances in Reconstructing Archaeological Magnetic Signals; an Algorithm for Filtering Noise due to the Ploughing Effect

“…Since anthropogenic features, such as kilns, walls, roads, pits, ditches, tiles, etc., often have different magnetic properties from the surrounding soil, this method can be effectively used to detect them (e.g. Becker, ; Johnson, ; Aspinall et al ., ; Ciminale and Gallo, ; Caggiani et al ., ; Caldara et al ., ). Modern instruments and current appropriate procedures for data acquisition, processing and visualisation enable detection of even very subtle anomalies (down to hundredths of nanotesla in the case of buried post‐holes).…”

Online non destructive archaeology; the archaeological park of Egnazia (Southern Italy) study case

“…Several modern structures such as metallic fences, power lines, underground services, etc., generating intense magnetic fields, were present. In order to minimize these unwelcome contributions which could possibly mask archaeological signals, the G858 magnetometer (sensitivity 0.05 nT) was assembled in gradiometer configuration; indeed, this arrangement proved to be effective even in some unfavourable environments (Tabbagh, 2003;Ciminale and Gallo, 2008). Therefore the two available sensors were set apart at a distance of 1.2 m with the lower one 0.35 m above ground.…”