High-Resolution Ultrasonic Imaging of Artworks with Seismic Interferometry for Their Conservation and Restoration

Deyan Draganov, Jürg Hunziker, Karel Heller, Karin Gutkowski, Fernando Marte
2018 Studies in Conservation  
Artworks are an inseparable part of our cultural heritage of societies and provide us with a unique look at cultural developments through time and space. For the best possible conservation, it is paramount to know the constituent materials, condition, and construction techniques of the objects (e.g., painting on wood, fresco, sculpture). Such information is required not only at the surfaces of the objects, but also inside of them; in the imaging discipline this is known as depth imaging. Here,
more » ... e introduce a new method for non-invasive depth imaging as an alternative to traditional non-invasive methods when the latter cannot be used to obtain required information. We use ultrasonic transverse-wave transmission measurements and turn them into virtual reflection measurements. We achieve this by applying seismic interferometry with active sources. Obtaining reflection measurements by seismic interferometry allows us to apply an advanced imaging technique -prestack depth migration, as used in seismic exploration -to produce a high-resolution depth image of an object. We apply our method to ultrasonic data recorded on a mockup of a painting on a wooden support. We validate our method by comparing our results with an image from X-ray computed tomography. Abstract 4 Artworks are an inseparable part of our cultural heritage of societies and provide 5 us with a unique look at cultural developments through time and space. For the 6 best possible conservation, it is paramount to know the constituent materials, 7 condition, and construction techniques of the objects (e.g., painting on wood, 8 fresco, sculpture). Such information is required not only at the surfaces of the 9 objects, but also inside of them; in the imaging discipline this is known as depth 10 imaging. Here, we introduce a new method for non-invasive depth imaging as an 11 alternative to traditional non-invasive methods when the latter cannot be used to 12 obtain required information. We use ultrasonic transverse-wave transmission 13 measurements and turn them into virtual reflection measurements. We achieve this 14 by applying seismic interferometry with active sources. Obtaining reflection 15 measurements by seismic interferometry allows us to apply an advanced imaging 16 techniqueprestack depth migration, as used in seismic explorationto produce 17 a high-resolution depth image of an object. We apply our method to ultrasonic 18 data recorded on a mockup of a painting on a wooden support. We validate our 19 method by comparing our results with an image from X-ray computed 20 tomography. 21 22 Revised manuscript Click here to download Manuscript manuscript_r3.docx
doi:10.1080/00393630.2018.1437870 fatcat:ozkdrytklzgfpm5k72vazdy6wy