A proposal for an ADVENTURE project


Ancient Charm is an ADVENTURE project, an action line of NEST (New and Emerging Science and Technology) is an activity in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to support unconventional and visionary research with the potential to open new fields for European science and technology, as well as research on potential problems uncovered by science.
"Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area"

A large variety of chemical, physical and microstructural techniques are employed to characterize objects of cultural significance. Most of these methods are invasive and probes like X-rays and charged particles have limited penetration power in matter. Neutrons, on the other hand, can penetrate thick layers without substantial scattering or absorption depending on their energy. While the potential of neutron-based techniques is large, their development is recent in most cases. Especially, no attempt has been made to use the unique resonance absorption properties of epithermal neutrons for quantitative 3D imaging.

Many elements have neutron absorption resonances in the epithermal energy range. Neutron absorption is followed by the prompt emission of a gamma-ray cascade, and both the gamma emission and the neutron transmission can be measured. Spatially resolved information can in principle be obtained by a combination of tight neutron beam collimation, multiple positioning of the sample, and simultaneous measurement of neutron resonances with different strengths and therefore able to effectively probe depth.

Developing the “Neutron Resonant Capture Imaging”combined with “Neutron Resonance Transmission” (NRCI/NRT) as a non-invasive technique for 3D tomographic imaging and its use in cultural heritage research is the ultimate aim of the ANCIENT CHARM project.

The idea of developing an imaging technique based on epithermal neutron absorption is totally new and presents a number of scientific and technical challenges which are best addressed by the joint development of two related 3D imaging methods:
• Prompt Gamma Activation Imaging combined with cold Neutron Tomography (PGAI/NT) and
• Neutron Diffraction Tomography (NDT).

The three new imaging methods will provide a new, comprehensive neutron-based imaging approach, which will be applied here for the 3D imaging of elemental and phase composition of objects selected as a result of a broad scope archaeological research.