Cultural Heritage scientists need methodologies to examine Art and Archaeology in order to understand artistic materials and techniques and devise better conservation procedures. This review discusses the most successful and promising applications of Terahertz (THz) technology in Cultural Heritage Science. THz is used in homeland security and for plenty of other industrial sectors and it presents a number of valuable features specifically for the investigation of Art and Archaeology: No radiation risk, low power, non-contact and reflection mode. Recent technical advancements are also making its application fast, mobile and relatively affordable creating a potential for its diffused implementation in museums. While THz is most promising for the investigation of multilayered art, such as paintings, it has been tested on a very large range of artifacts, from manuscripts to mummies and lacquered historical furniture.

Terahertz and Cultural Heritage Science: Examination of Art and Archaeology

Conservation of cultural heritage is an area where novel scientific techniques are having enormous impact. Given the value and uniqueness of art pieces, non-invasive diagnostic methods are highly appreciated by conservators. Terahertz radiation has shown enormous potential as non-contact probe that can be used for the three-dimensional reconstruction of internal structure of stone-made objects. In this article we report the evaluation of the internal damage state of two art pieces, a medallion from the Castle of Celle and a window sill from the St. Peter of Trier Cathedral. We also used terahertz radiation to follow and assess the restoration process of the window sill. We found that terahertz spectroscopy is an excellent non-destructive evaluation method for stone artwork that shows enormous potential as a tool for conservation.

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Terahertz meets sculptural and architectural art: Evaluation and conservation of stone objects with T-ray technology.

Terahertz frequency-wavelet deconvolution is utilized specifically for the stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of art paintings with terahertz reflective imaging. In order to resolve the optically thin paint layers, a deconvolution technique is enhanced by the combination of frequency-domain filtering and stationary wavelet shrinkage, and applied to investigate a mid-20th century Italian oil painting on paperboard, After Fishing, by Ausonio Tanda. Based on the deconvolved terahertz data, the stratigraphy of the painting including the paint layers is reconstructed and subsurface features are clearly revealed, demonstrating that terahertz frequency-wavelet deconvolution can be an effective tool to characterize stratified systems with optically thin layers.

Terahertz frequency-wavelet domain deconvolution for stratigraphic and subsurface investigation of art painting.

Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy and 3D THz pulsed imaging have been explored with regard to polymer materials, both commodity and historic polymers. A systematic spectroscopic study of a wide range of different polymer materials showed significant differences in their spectra. Polyolefins and polystyrenes generally exhibit lower absorption than other examined polymers, various cellulose derivates, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(methyl methacrylate), polyamide, hard rubber and phenol formaldehyde resin, the last of these exhibiting the most intense absorption over the entire range, 0.15–4.2 THz. It was also examined how the presence of plasticisers in poly(vinyl chloride), the presence of fillers in polypropylene, and the degree of branching in polyethylene and polystyrene affect the spectra; inorganic fillers in polypropylene affected the absorption most. With 3D THz pulsed imaging, features in polymer objects were explored, appearing either as integral parts of the material (coatings and pores in foams) or as a consequence of physical deterioration (cracks, delamination). All of these features of various complexities can be successfully imaged in 3D. Terahertz technology is thus shown to have significant potential for both chemical and structural characterisation of polymers, which will be of interest to heritage science, but also to the polymer industry and development of analytical technologies in general.

Characterisation of historic plastics using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and pulsed imaging

In last two decades, rapid development in the field of terahertz (THz) technology has opened new possibilities for creating innovative imaging and sensing systems. Although the applications of THz technology in different sectors constantly increase, the construction industry lags behind them. The aim of this article is to review the current applications of THz spectroscopy in research and industry related to construction and building materials, along with the key drawbacks of technology and recommendations for future use. The review concludes that THz spectroscopy and imaging have promising potential and provide many opportunities for applications in construction and building materials characterization.

Applications of Terahertz Spectroscopy in the Field of Construction and Building Materials

Terahertz Time Domain Imaging has been used in the last few years for the investigation of cultural heritage. In this article, the authors demonstrate the possibility to apply it for the investigation of clay artifacts. Tomographic images were obtained of a model in reflection, and an Egyptian vessel in transmission. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Jeffrey White

Papers

Investigation of Terra Cotta artefacts with terahertz