NoMAD: Non-destructive Mobile Analysis and imaging Device

NOMAD(非破坏性移动分析和成像设备)是一个跨学科项目，它利用为粒子加速器开发的技术，将科学分析技术带到偏远的遗产地。我们的项目专注于岩石艺术--我们共享的全球文化遗产的重要组成部分。岩画已经创作了数万年，照亮了我们过去的关键方面，并讲述了作为人类意味着什么的故事。岩石艺术仍然是全球土著文化的核心，但它一直受到自然和人为力量的威胁。不幸的是，几个世纪以来，岩石艺术逐渐褪色，最终消失，因为岩石上的颜料被剥落，和/或灰尘掩盖了艺术品。有些色素可能会以微量形式留在表面，但我们的眼睛是看不见的。Nomad将解决这个问题--通过制作颜料的元素地图来重新创建岩石艺术图像。这一点至关重要，因为一旦我们能够更清楚地看到以前看不见或褪色的图案，我们就可以更好地提出和回答有关全球文化遗产和人类认知和艺术表达的最早表现之一的基本问题--这些问题对许多利益相关者非常重要，包括今天后殖民国家的土著群体。为了研究便携式文物，科学家们已经采用了质子诱导X射线发射(PIXE)分析，这种分析使用加速的质子来非破坏性地以文化敏感的方式识别化学元素。最著名的是，卢浮宫博物馆经常使用这项技术来发现艺术品的基本成分，并检测赝品。然而，用PIXE分析不可移动的文物(如岩石艺术品)的唯一方法是将侵入性样本带到加速器设施。可以理解的是，这种类型的破坏性分析通常是不被允许或不可行的。无法将岩石带到加速器，本项目将把加速器带到岩石。Nomad的目标是利用高频射频技术的最新进展，设计一种紧凑、便携式的粒子加速器，这将使PIXE分析能够在世界各地的考古遗址和博物馆进行。结合物理学、工程学和考古学的专业知识，Nomad将设计新的加速器技术，以帮助考古学家研究和保护脆弱的、独特的文化遗产，这对全球许多土著社区至关重要。这种紧凑型加速器将是世界上第一个，使这个项目在加速器和文化遗产管理领域具有革命性。

NoMAD (Non-destructive Mobile Analysis and imaging Device) is an interdisciplinary project that draws on technology developed for particle accelerators to bring scientific analysis techniques to remote heritage sites.Our project focuses on rock art -- a crucial part of our shared global cultural heritage. Paintings on rock have been created for tens of thousands of years, illuminating crucial aspects of our past and telling stories about what it means to be human. Rock art remains central to Indigenous cultures globally, but it is constantly under threat from natural and anthropogenic forces. Unfortunately, over centuries, rock art fades and eventually disappears as pigments are exfoliated from the rock and/or layers of dirt obscure the artwork. Some pigments may remain on the surface in trace amounts, but are invisible to our eyes. NoMAD will address this problem -- re-creating rock art images by producing elemental maps of pigments. This is vital, as once we are able to see previously invisible or faded motifs more clearly, we will be in a better position to ask and answer fundamental questions about global cultural heritage and one of the earliest manifestations of human cognition and artistic expression -- questions that are of huge importance to many stakeholders, including Indigenous groups in postcolonial countries, today.To study portable artefacts, scientists are already employing Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis, which uses accelerated protons to identify chemical elements non-destructively and in a culturally sensitive manner. Most famously, the Louvre Museum routinely uses this technology to uncover artworks' elemental compositions and detect forgeries. However, the only way immovable artefacts, such as rock art, can be analysed with PIXE is by taking invasive samples to accelerator facilities. This type of destructive analysis is often, understandably, not permitted or feasible. Unable to bring the rock to the accelerator, this project will take the accelerator to the rock. NoMAD aims to design a compact, portable particle accelerator using recent advancements in high-frequency Radio Frequency technology, which would allow PIXE analysis to be performed at archaeological sites and museums around the world.Combining expertise in physics, engineering, and archaeology, NoMAD will design new accelerator technology to help archaeologists study and preserve fragile, unique cultural heritage, which is vital to many Indigenous communities across the globe. A compact accelerator of this sort will be a world-first, making this project revolutionary in the fields of accelerators and cultural heritage management.