Online Popular Media Coverage of Remote Sensing and computational imaging in cultural heritage preservation

[GOKConservator]

Two remote sensing articles in Spiegel Online Inernational “Picture This” feature: Underwater photogrammetry and light detection and ranging (LIDAR /LADAR) with great images!

 

Florian Huber University of Kiel's Institute of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, documenting Yucatan’s cenotes using underwater photogrammetry:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/german-archaeologists-explore-the-mysterious-cenotes-of-mexico-a-869940.html

 

And

 

Axel Posluschny, Archaeolandscapes Europe (ArcLand), which operates under the Roman-Germanic Commission of the German Archaeological Institute participating in the €5 million undertaking to increase the archaeological use of modern remote-sensing technology such as LIDAR, ground-penetrating radar and other electric and magnetic techniques:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/remote-scanning-techniques-revolutionize-archaeology-a-846793.html

[Taylor]

This sounds like an interesting development, but I wasn't sure where to post it.  It doesn't involve RTI and hasn't been used for cultural heritage studies yet, but it's a computational imaging method that sounds like it would have many useful applications.  Some researchers at the Stanford-Woods Center for the Environment have developed a technique for accurately mapping coral reefs in 3D using a combination of aerial drones and underwater gigapixel imaging:

 

https://woods.stanford.edu/news-events/news/drones-open-way-new-world-coral-research

 

The most interesting part of the method takes advantage of the distortions in the air-water interface from waves ("Fluid Lensing") to provide greater detail of the underwater reefs.  " 'The lensing takes a huge problem in looking through the surface of the water and turns it into an advantage,' Palumbi said. 'It not only removes the ripples but uses their magnification to enhance the image.' ”

 

In addition to possible applications to underwater archeology and cultural heritage, I wonder if TEPCO could use some help mapping the debris inside the fuel-rod storage pool in Unit 4 at Fukushima-Daiichi? 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/world/asia/removing-fuel-rods-poses-new-risks-at-crippled-nuclear-plant-in-japan.html

 

Given the risks involved and their track record, it would seem TEPCO could use all the assistance they can get.