Evaluating contemporary digital technologies for the reconstruction and mapping of archaeological resources

本博士建议系统分析从无人系统和星载系统收集的高分辨率多光谱和高光谱数据集的潜力，调查它们预测河谷系统近地表以下沉积物结构的潜力，并利用这些数据管理遗产资产。这种创新和及时的方法来评估有目的地收集的多/超数据以识别这些地下建筑，能够极大地提高我们对这些复杂的洪泛平原沉积系统中日益受到威胁的考古资源分布的理解。可以说，英国考古资源中最丰富的部分存在于河流系统的冲积沉积物中，这是由于丰富的古环境资源和充斥在这些河谷系统中的积水厌氧沉积物的保存能力相结合的结果。在过去15年中，地质考古调查越来越多地利用遥感地形数据集(如激光雷达)来调查复杂的地貌区，但很少有其他遥感数据集的相应应用，例如多光谱/高光谱波段，以识别地貌特征和地下沉积物建筑，以管理文化资产。拟议的PHD将直接涉及所有三个海区，并通过评估高/多光谱数据集并将其整合到遗产和考古专业人员的文化资产管理‘工具包’中直接应用于工业。研究问题1小型无人机系统(SUA)和星载多/高光谱数据集在确定考古特征(沟/坑、河岸等)和地貌特征(例如古河道、砾石梯田、2多光谱/高光谱数据的光谱响应是否显示与地貌或考古特征的近地表沉积物结构有关的变化？3能否利用多个空间尺度的观测，利用SUAS和星载多光谱/高光谱遥感数据集来模拟冲积沉积物序列的地下沉积条件和保存能力？4能否结合对近地表沉积物结构的理解，使用SUAS和空间方法，以形成对遗产资产的整体解释；对文化资源管理至关重要。

This PhD proposes to systematically analyse the potential of high resolution multispectral and hyperspectral datasets, collected from both unmanned and spaceborne systems, to investigate their potential to predict near sub-surface sediment architectures of river valley systems, and to utilise this data for the management of heritage assets. Such an innovative and timely approach to the evaluation of purposively collected multi/hyper data to identify these subsurface architectures has the capacity to greatly increase our understanding of the distribution of the increasingly threatened archaeological resources within these complex floodplain sedimentary systems. Arguably, the richest component of the archaeological resource within the UK is housed within the alluvial sediments of river systems, due to a combination of the resource rich palaeoenvironment and the preserving capacity of water logged anaerobic sediments that have infilled these valley systems. Over the last 15 years, geoarchaeological investigation has increasingly utilised remote sensed topographic data sets (e.g. lidar) to investigate complex geomorphological areas, but there has been little corresponding application of other remote sensed data sets, such as multi/hyper spectral bands, to identify geomorphological features and sub-surface sediment architectures to manage cultural assets. The proposed PhD will directly address all three of the SEAHA strands and has direct industry application through assessing the hyper/multi spectral data sets and integrating them into the cultural asset management 'tool kits' of heritage and archaeological professionals.Research questions1 How effective are small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and spaceborne multi/hyper spectral data sets at defining archaeological features (ditches/pits, banks, etc) and geomorphological features (e.g. palaeochannels, gravel terraces, etc) within the valley environment?2 Do the spectral responses of multi/hyper spectral data show variation related to the near surface sediment architectures of the geomorphological or archaeological features?3 Can sUAS and spaceborne multi/hyper spectral remotely sensed data sets be used to model the sub-surface sediment conditions, and preservation capacity, of the alluvial sediment sequence by taking advantage of observations from multiple spatial scales?4 Can sUAS and spaceborne approaches be used, synergistically with an understanding of near sub- surface sediment architectures, to form an holistic interpretation of heritage assets; essential for cultural resource management.