Quantitative Integration of Multiple Geophysical Techniques for Reducing Uncertainty in Discrete Anomaly Detection

The objectives of this project are to (1) utilize quantitative integration of multiple geophysical techniques, (2) determine geophysical anomalies that may indicate locations of various archaeological structures, and (3) develop techniques of quantifying causes of uncertainty. Two sites are used to satisfy these objectives. The first, representing a site with unknown target features, is an archaeological site on the Tennessee River floodplain. The area is divided into 437 (20 x 20 m) plots with 0.5 m spacing where magnetic gradiometry profiles were collected in a zig-zag pattern, resulting in 350 km of line data. Once anomalies are identified in the magnetics data, potential excavation sites for archeological features are determined and other geophysical techniques are utilized to gain confidence in choosing which anomalies to excavate. Several grids are resurveyed using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and EM-31 with a 0.25 m spacing in a grid pattern. A quantitative method of integrating data into one comprehensive set is developed, enhancing interpretation because each geophysical technique utilized within this study produced a unique response to noise and the targets. Spatial visualization software is used to interpolate irregularly spaced XYZ data into a regularly spaced grid and display the geophysical data in 3D representations. Once all data are exported from each individual instrument, grid files are created for quantitative merging of the data and to create grid-based maps including contour, image, shaded relief, and surface maps. Statistics were calculated from anomaly classification in the data and excavated features present. To study this methodology in a more controlled setting, a second site is used. This site is analogous to the first in that it is along the Tennessee River floodplain on the same bedrock units. However, this analog site contains known targets (previously buried and accurately located) including size, shape, and orientation. Four geophysical techniques are used to survey the area (EM-31 ground conductivity, EM-61 metal detector, Nogin (GPR) 250 MHz antennae, and Sensors and Software PulseEkko Pro (GPR) 100 MHz antennae). Data is integrated utilizing the same quantitative methodology used on the archaeological site. The study of results for the known targets are used to modify the integration methods to enhance uncertainty reduction, providing quality assurance in the manipulation of the data from the archeological site and resulting in an improved interpretation of the original geophysical data in the study.