Application of the RASCAN Holographic Radar to Cultural Heritage Inspections

This paper explores the application of the RASCAN holographic radar for non-destructive subsurface imaging of works of art and architecture. This radar provides high-resolution plan-view images of the shallow subsurface in dielectric materials. The radar is particularly sensitive to small metallic targets, but also to variations in moisture content. Originally developed for detection of hidden bugging devices, sounding of building construction details, and detection of landmines, here the utility of the RASCAN radar for art and architectural preservation studies is demonstrated by several bench-top experiments on stone and wood items with different subsurface defects and features, as well as actual field tests on a decorative marble medallion in the floor of the Temple of San Biagio in Montepulciano, Italy, and Frescoes in the Church of San Rocco in Cornaredo, Italy Historical research indicates that the medallion in San Biagio was laid circa 1590 during the funeral ceremony of a Prelatio of the family Casata Cervini. The actual burial place of the Prelatio is not recorded, but a radar scan of the medallion, and follow-up scans of a bench-top model suggest the possibility of a cavity that could contain remains or relics. In San Rocco, small delaminations were detected behind the frescos. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.