GPR
The Georadar (GPR) is a survey system that uses microwave signals to penetrate matter and interact with it.
The georadar allows to detect, locate and characterize objects placed in structures that cannot be inspected visually such as the subsoil.
The instrumentation consists of a control unit connected to a computer and a system consisting of two antennas. One of the antennas is used to transmit the signal to be sent, the other to measure the response signal.
Structures and objects buried underground correspond to variations in electromagnetic properties. The presence of these variations generates a signal that is picked up by the receiving antenna.
The result is a tomographic image that provides information on objects buried at various levels of depth.
How does it work?
INVESTIGATIONS
The georadar surveys were mainly located in the area located between the monumental Temples of Neptune and Hera within the Archaeological Park of Paestum.
The use of the georadar made it possible to obtain high-resolution images capable of providing an accurate representation of the objects identified in the subsoil.
RESULTS
Buried archaeological structures were detected
from the investigations in the first meters of the subsoil
The video shows the tomographic images at increasing depth in the subsoil of the investigated area. The depth (Z) is indicated at the top.
If you look carefully at the video, the red color matches the electromagnetic variations of the soil that correspond
to the archaeological structures.
What type of structures are they? Most likely they are part of an ancient system for collecting rainwater or capturing groundwater.
The project team investigated the subsoil of another area of the Archaeological Park of Paestum located near Porta Marina, where it was assumed the presence of a buried temple.
The use of the GPR confirmed the presence of the temple, provided detailed information on its position and allowed the reconstruction of the base geometry.
A very important discovery for the reconstruction of the archaeological history of the Paestum site.