An Evaluation of the Penetrative Capabilities of Airborne Radar in the Study of Archeological Sites in Bavaria

Abstract

This thesis presents the first investigation into the penetrative capabilities of high-resolution airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to map buried archaeology. As it stands, most of the research on the use of SAR in archaeological prospection has been satellite based. All of these investigations have been conducted on large scales and at comparatively low resolutions. Here, two Roman archaeological sites in Bavaria were chosen as case studies, each having been surveyed using ground penetrating radar (GPR) in the past. Through direct comparison between GPR, airborne SAR, and high-resolution DEMs, this thesis shows that airborne SAR surveys have the potential to increase the known extent of some archaeological features. It also shows that, on complex sites such as buildings or walls, high-resolution images can be produced by measuring changes in the moisture content of the overlaying soil above these walls. Airborne SAR hence has the potential - in almost all weather and solar illumination conditions - to quickly perform hitherto impossible surveys in all areas across the world, independent of how difficult they are to access.