Geophysics for Mapping, Documentation and Monitoring the “Hidden” Archaeological Resources
A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Remote Sensing in Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 7926
Special Issue Editors
Interests: acoustic remote sensing; seabed archaeology; underwater cultural heritage; marine geophysics; habitat mapping
Interests: archaeological geophysics; remote sensing; geoinformatics in cultural/natural heritage and environmental management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past millennia, natural events such as sediment mobility, sea level fluctuations, geodynamics and extreme atmospheric and meteo–marine phenomena have periodically caused the destruction and inundation of human settlements and cultural materials, which are now buried underground or submerged underwater. Currently, these same natural factors, alongside pressures from anthropogenic activities and climate change, formulate a constantly evolving environment that is exposing the trace of past human activity to ultimate decay and destruction. This necessitates planning, organising and implementing actions to document and preserve cultural heritage, ensuring its accessibility and protection for future generations.
Geophysical technologies are among the most effective methods that enable the study of the 'hidden' cultural heritage. They provide fast and cost-effective tools for documenting and monitoring past human activity and landscapes of cultural interest that are buried underground or submerged underwater. Advances in sensor technology, data acquisition methods and computing power have led to the increasing application of geophysics in archaeology, from large-scale site exploration to high-precision three-dimensional reconstruction and long-term monitoring. Currently, geophysical prospection for archaeological research utilises diverse techniques, including seismic, acoustic, optical, electrical, electromagnetic and gravity methods, which provide significant opportunities to redefine the procedures for site mapping, formation, evaluation and protection.
This Special Issue focuses on geophysical methods that are currently used for the study of the Cultural Heritage. Researchers and authors are invited to submit studies covering different uses of geophysical methodologies by different sensors and platforms for the characterisation, mapping and monitoring of terrestrial and underwater archaeology and cultural landscapes. Multisource data integration and multiscale approaches are particularly welcome. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Terrestrial geophysical imaging (GPR, ERT, Magnetics, Gravimetry) of buried CH.
- Marine geophysical methods for the documentation, mapping and monitoring of seafloor and subseafloor archaeology and cultural landscape (Multibeam bathymetry, Side Scan Sonar investigation, sub-bottom profiling, ERT, electromagnetic induction).
- LiDAR technology for marine and terrestrial CH research.
- Geophysics for spatial modelling of marine and terrestrial archaeological evidence, site formation and cultural heritage protection
- Integration of geophysical data from multiple platforms (waterborne and airborne drone and vector, underwater robots, GIS, BIM applications) for CH research.
- Archaeo-geophysical prospections in extreme environments (polar, deep sea, desert).
Dr. Crescenzo Violante
Dr. Nikos Papadopoulos
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- terrestrial and underwater cultural heritage
- cultural landscape
- geoarchaeology
- site mapping
- marine geophysical methods
- electrical resistivity tomography
- underwater photogrammetry
- satellite remote sensing
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