A view from space. Monitoring and management for World Heritage Sites

Gaetano Palumbo, Dominic Powlesland

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 43-50

Abstract

NASA and The Getty Conservation Institute are conducting an experiment in the application of remotely sensed multispectral and radar data for monitoring change at World Heritage Sites. The project is concerned both with the principles of this approach and with current limitations. The latter have clearly demonstrated that automatic monitoring cannot be easily achieved, due to problems of low resolution, lack of repeatability, and cost, but the integration of this remotely sensed data with other data types into a geographic data management system may provide a monitoring management tool that can be used to test the potential of a fully integrated approach to site definition, monitoring, and management. The test case being adopted covers the area of Chaco Culture National Historic Park, in New Mexico, USA, a major Anasazi complex which is registered in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Data assembled included a variety of remotely-sensed information, GPS surveys, and the preparation of a baseline GIS, but also historic aerial photographs and excavation data. The resulting data management system, which also includes basic classification conducted on some of the multispectral data available, is an example of a relatively simple system of archaeological data management which could serve the needs of site managers and archaeologists.

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