NINMACH 2017

Neutron Imaging Methods for Cultural Heritage at the ANTARES facility

13 Oct 2017, 09:00

40m

Kisterem (Hungarian Academy of Sciences)

Keynote speaker Neutron imaging Keynote speaker 3.

Speaker

Dr Burkhard Schillinger (Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II))

Description

The ANTARES neutron imaging facility at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II) of Technische Universität München provides several imaging methods that are employed in cultural heritage research. Neutrons will always come into play when X-rays cannot provide the desired information because they cannot penetrate X-rays, or just deliver little to no contrast on the materials involved. Neutrons can often provide complementary contrast to x-rays which makes them ideally suited to investigate samples like bones in chalk rock, or enamel and dentine in fossil teeth, but also moisture or wood impregnating chemical agents. Standard neutron radiography provides insight into metallic objects containing organic substances. 3D computed tomography provides three-dimensional information about the internal structure of samples, like fossils embedded in rock with a spatial resolution of the order of 15µm Bragg edge radiography and tomography is based on energy-selective scanning of samples which allows to detect different metallic phases e.g. in medieval swords, providing information on the forging technique. Neutron grating interferometry (nGI) allows to detect structures (e.g different materials, porosity, inclusions, etc.) below the real space resolution limit of an imaging instrument by analyzing the ultra-small-angle scattering originating from these structures. Hence, this technique allows to indirectly localize structures in the size range from 15 μm to 0.5 μm. By analyzing these data information about the manufacturing process of e.g. pottery can be gained. The talk will illustrate all methods employed at ANTARES with specific examples and explain the basic principles of the methods, including nGI. Access to the ANTARES facility is easy, and free of charge for public research. Scientific proposals can be submitted twice a year. The Imaging group has experience in handling of valuable samples.