Observatory validation of Neolithic tells (“Magoules”) in the Thessalian plain, central Greece, using hyperspectral spectroradiometric data

Abstract This paper presents the results obtained from field spectroradiometric campaigns over Neolithic tells (“magoules”) located at the Thessalian region in Greece. In each one of the four archaeological sites selected, three sections were carried out using the GER 1500 handheld spectroradiometer. Spectral profiles of the sections and several vegetation indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Indices (NDVI) and Simple Ratio (SR) have been examined in this study. This is one of the first times that ground hyperspectral data are evaluated in such context of archaeological research for the spectral characterization of archaeological features. As it was found, ground spectroradiometric measurements can be efficiently used in order to support and validate satellite imagery results for the detection of archaeological sites.

[1]  Rosa Lasaponara,et al.  QuickBird‐based analysis for the spatial characterization of archaeological sites: Case study of the Monte Serico medieval village , 2005 .

[2]  J. Roujean,et al.  Estimating PAR absorbed by vegetation from bidirectional reflectance measurements , 1995 .

[3]  Marcie L. Venter,et al.  Integrating shallow geophysical survey: archaeological investigations at Totógal in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, México , 2006 .

[4]  Andrew K. Heidinger,et al.  Operational calibration of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) visible and near-infrared channels , 2010 .

[5]  B. Pinty,et al.  GEMI: a non-linear index to monitor global vegetation from satellites , 1992, Vegetatio.

[6]  C. Tucker Red and photographic infrared linear combinations for monitoring vegetation , 1979 .

[7]  C. Jordan Derivation of leaf-area index from quality of light on the forest floor , 1969 .

[8]  A. J. Richardsons,et al.  DISTINGUISHING VEGETATION FROM SOIL BACKGROUND INFORMATION , 1977 .

[9]  Apostolos Sarris,et al.  Detection of Neolithic Settlements in Thessaly (Greece) Through Multispectral and Hyperspectral Satellite Imagery , 2009, Sensors.

[10]  Sergio Negri,et al.  Geophysical investigation of the Temple of Apollo (Hierapolis, Turkey) , 2006 .

[11]  Diofantos G. Hadjimitsis,et al.  The Importance of Accounting for Atmospheric Effects in the Application of NDVI and Interpretation of Satellite Imagery Supporting Archaeological Research: The Case Studies of Palaepaphos and Nea Paphos Sites in Cyprus , 2011, Remote. Sens..

[12]  A. Huete A soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) , 1988 .

[13]  R. Jackson,et al.  Interpreting vegetation indices , 1991 .

[14]  A. Gitelson,et al.  Use of a green channel in remote sensing of global vegetation from EOS- MODIS , 1996 .

[15]  M. Altaweel The use of ASTER satellite imagery in archaeological contexts , 2005 .

[16]  Jane Drummond,et al.  Discovering archaeological cropmarks: a hyperspectral approach , 2008 .

[17]  F. Baret,et al.  Potentials and limits of vegetation indices for LAI and APAR assessment , 1991 .

[18]  G. Rondeaux,et al.  Optimization of soil-adjusted vegetation indices , 1996 .

[19]  A. Sarris,et al.  Detection of exposed and subsurface archaeological remains using multi-sensor remote sensing , 2007 .

[20]  S. Parcak Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology , 2009 .

[21]  Athos Agapiou,et al.  Monitoring Archaeological Site Landscapes in Cyprus Using Multi-Temporal Atmospheric Corrected Image Data , 2009 .

[22]  A. Huete,et al.  A comparison of vegetation indices over a global set of TM images for EOS-MODIS , 1997 .

[23]  R. Lasaponara,et al.  Detection of archaeological crop marks by using satellite QuickBird multispectral imagery , 2007 .

[24]  J. Chen Evaluation of Vegetation Indices and a Modified Simple Ratio for Boreal Applications , 1996 .

[25]  V. Cnudde,et al.  Contact sponge method : performance of a promising tool for measuring the initial water absorption , 2009 .

[26]  H. White,et al.  Reflectance processing of remote sensing spectroradiometer data , 2001 .

[27]  Papadavid Georgios,et al.  Spectral vegetation indices from field spectroscopy intended for evapotranspiration purposes for spring potatoes in Cyprus , 2010, Remote Sensing.

[28]  R. Lasaponara,et al.  Investigating the spectral capability of QuickBird data to detect archaeological remains buried under vegetated and not vegetated areas , 2007 .

[29]  A. Huete,et al.  A Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index , 1994 .

[30]  Didier Tanré,et al.  Atmospherically resistant vegetation index (ARVI) for EOS-MODIS , 1992, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[31]  Rosa Lasaponara,et al.  Identification of archaeological buried remains based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from Quickbird satellite data , 2006, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters.

[32]  Diofantos G. Hadjimitsis,et al.  Vegetation indices and field spectroradiometric measurements for validation of buried architectural remains: verification under area surveyed with geophysical campaigns , 2011 .

[33]  Diofantos G. Hadjimitsis,et al.  Hyperspectral Ground Truth Data for the Detection of Buried Architectural Remains , 2010, EuroMed.

[34]  Edward J. Milton,et al.  Review Article Principles of field spectroscopy , 1987 .

[35]  J. Campbell Introduction to remote sensing , 1987 .

[36]  R. Cavalli,et al.  Remote hyperspectral imagery as a support to archaeological prospection , 2007 .

[37]  S. G. Nelson,et al.  Relationship Between Remotely-sensed Vegetation Indices, Canopy Attributes and Plant Physiological Processes: What Vegetation Indices Can and Cannot Tell Us About the Landscape , 2008, Sensors.

[38]  S. Pascucci,et al.  Specific spectral bands for different land cover contexts to improve the efficiency of remote sensing archaeological prospection: The Arpi case study , 2009 .

[39]  T. M. Lillesand,et al.  Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation , 1980 .

[40]  T. Astaras,et al.  Integrated GIS, remote sensing and geomorphologic approaches for the reconstruction of the landscape habitation of Thessaly during the neolithic period , 2011 .