PHYS10262

Physics Methods in Art& Archaeology

Michael Wiescher

Fall Semester 2008, Physics Department, University of Notre Dame

  Syllabus   ||   Projects   ||   Project Assignments   ||   Lab Group Assignments   ||   Project Presentations

  Course Tutorials:   Tutorial 1   ||   Tutorial 2 & 3   ||   Tutorial 4   ||   Tutorial 5

Chapter 1. Physics Background and Techniques

• 1.1. Goals and Purpose of Archaeometry

• 1.2. Principles of Atomic Spectroscopy

• 1.3. Principles of Nuclear Decay and Reaction Processes

• 1.4. Natural Radioactivity ?Dangers and Opportunities

• 1.5. Tools and Techniques

Chapter 2. Analytical Methods in Art and Archaeology

• 2.1. Principles of X-Ray Sources and Absorption Techniques

• 2.2. X-ray Absorption & Fluorescence

• 2.3. Principles of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)

• 2.4. Principles of Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE)

• 2.5. Depth Profiling with PIXE Techniques

• 2.6. PIXE Analysis of Metals, Paper and other Artifacts

• 2.7. Raman and other Spectroscopies

• 2.8. Isotope Analysis and Neutron Activation Techniques

• 2.9. Neutron Activation Analysis of Archaeological Artifacts

• 2.10. Neutron activation of paintings

• 2.11. Isotope Separation & Analysis

• 2.12. Food and Diet Analysis

• 2.13. European Origins

Chapter 3. Isotope Analysis and Dating Methods

• 3.1. Archaeological Dating Methods

• 3.2. Dating with Radioactive Clocks

• 3.3. Mapping Change and Development

• 3.4. Migration and Colonization

• 3.5. Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy ( AMS )

• 3.6. Applications of AMS

• 3.7. Dating for Anthropology

• 3.8. Uranium Thorium Dating

• 3.9. Thermoluminescence

• 3.10. Applications of TL Dating

Chapter 4. Bioanalytic Techniques

• 4.1. DNA analysis

• 4.2. Examples of DNA techniques (Brother Neanderthal?)

--- Homework ---

• Homework 1     -----     Solutions 1

• Homework 2     -----     Solutions 2

• Homework 3     -----     Solutions 3

• Homework 4

• Homework 5