PHysics for Dating Diagnostic Dosimetry Research and Applications (PH3DRA)

PHysics for Dating Diagnostic Dosimetry
Research and Applications (PH3DRA)
Sebastiano Olindo Troja (Full Professor)
olindo.troja@ct.infn.it
Giuseppe Burrafato (Associate Professor)
Anna Maria Gueli (Researcher)
Renato De Vincolis (CSFNSM research contract)
Dorotea Fontana (PhD student)
Gloria Ristuccia (PhD student)
Giuseppe Stella (PostDoc fellowship)
Agnese Rita Zuccarello (PostDoc fellowship)
The activity research affects the applications of Physics to Cultural Heritage, environment
and medicine. Competences and instrumentation at disposal make possible indeed the
dating of archaeological, geological, artistic and historical materials and their
compositional and structural characterisation. The results are useful to solve origin and
provenance issues and questions related to conservation plans and restoration projects.
Radiation dosimetry for radioprotection, diagnostic of clinical beams and verification of
radiotherapy treatment plans is the main topic in environmental and health fields.
Keywords: dating, diagnostic, dosimetry, cultural heritage, health physics
1. Dating
PH3DRA research activity began at the end of the 1980s with the authentication and dating of
ceramics. This research has continued over the years and increased both in terms of techniques
and acquired skills. The intense methodological research and close collaboration with
professionals of other disciplines has allowed the development of numerous methodologies and
together with the wide range of skills of its researchers has made the laboratory competitive both
nationally and internationally.
Actually, the dating methods used for research group activities are based on the emissions of
thermally (TL) and optically (OSL) stimulated luminescence, on electron spin resonance (ESR)
signals and on U/Th isotope ratios. Each of these technique can be used for a given typology of
material and age range. Presently, TL dating is well-suited for pottery and bricks from historical
building, the OSL for geological sediments, while crossing data from ESR and U/Th dating can
solve chronological problems related to carbonates (shells, speleothems, …). The main aim of the
research in the dating field is to increase the precision of the ages by the improvement of
measurements and data analysis protocols. Moreover, the research group works to widen the field
of datable materials by each method. In the case of OSL, for example, the current research
concerns the dating of mortars which would solve many problems of historical buildings. The ESR-
U/Th combined dating, instead, is directed towards the dating of fossil teeth, currently an important
goal to solve the chronology of some Sicilian sites.

Figure 1. TL dating of building phases of San
Francesco alla Collina, Paternò (CT)
Figure 2. OSL dating of Pleistocene marine
terraces (Capo Vaticano, Calabria)
Figure 3. ESR dating: samples of speleothems from Grotta Monello (SR), Hippopotamus
tooth and Cerastoderma shell for ESR-U/Th combined dating.
2. Diagnostic
Diagnostic analysis of artefacts by non-destructive techniques play a fundamental role in the
conservation plan and/or restoration project. In this field, the research activity is mainly
carried out with Multispectral Imaging, Raman Spectrometry and Colorimetry methods.
Multispectral Imaging (oblique light, RGB pictures, UV fluorescence and IR reflectometry)
provides valuable data for frescos and paintings investigation and monitoring the state of
preservation. They also permit to identify the pictorial technique and the artist’s palette,
underlying drawings, second thoughts besides the detection of retouch and/or recreations.
Figure 4. Copy or sketch? Example of expertise on canvas painting (left) with the same
iconography of “Lamentation for Christ” (Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany) (right).

Raman Spectroscopy is used as a nondestructive technique for (even in situ) analysis of art and
cultural heritage objects, often associated with other techniques, such as XRF, SEM-EDX,
colorimetry,… The spectra represent the fingerprint of examined materials, ranging from inorganic
pigments to biomaterials, employed in artifacts so different as ceramics, gems, manuscripts,
paintings and sculptures, where degradation products can also be assessed. PH3DRA has a wide
home-made database of pigments used in paintings (ColoRaman project) while the constitution of
class related to pigments used for ceramic decoration is actually in progress.
Figure 5. Identification of coloured beads from Petra (Jordan)
The specification of color, by spectrophotometric and spectroradiometric techniques using portable
instrumentations, is carried out on polychrome artworks, such as paintings and potteries, for the
identification of pigments and the planning of conservation and restoration programs. When
associated to light measurements, they are also useful for evaluating the optimal conditions for
valorization and fruition of artworks.
Figure 6. Verification of Itten theory.

3. Dosimetry
The research in the field of dosimetry concerns the characterization and the achievement of
punctual dose measurements as well as profiles and 2D and 3D dose mapping using
thermoluminescentcrystals (TLD) and Gafchromic® films.
Figure 7. Clinical beam diagnostic by TLD Figure 8. Dose mapping by Gafchromic® films
Collaborations and Research Grants
PH3DRA is a component of GDRE European scientific coordination network “Ceramic Building
Materials and New Dating Methods”, GDRE-TCA
CRPAA, Centre de Recherche en Physique Appliquée à l’Archéologie, Bordeaux, France
MNHN, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Paris, France
ISPRA, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale
INGV, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
Comune di Paternò, Catania
Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali (Caltanissetta, Ragusa)
Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo, Siracusa
Istituto Statale d’Arte per la ceramica “Luigi Sturzo”, Caltagirone (CT)
Selected Publications
GUIBERT P., BAILIFF I. K., BLAIN S., GUELI A.M., MARTINI M., SIBILIA E., STELLA G., TROJA S.O.
(2009). "Luminescence dating of architectural ceramics from an early medieval abbey: the St-Philbert
intercomparison (Loire Atlantique, France)". RADIATION MEASUREMENTS, vol. 44 (5-6); p. 488-493
BIANCA M., CATALANO S., DE GUIDI G., GUELI A.M., MONACO C., RISTUCCIA G.M., STELLA G.,
TORTORICI G., TORTORICI L., TROJA S.O. (2010). "Luminescence chronology of Pleistocene marine
terraces of Capo Vaticano peninsula (Calabria, Southern Italy)". QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL, vol. 232;
p. 114-121
BAHAIN J.J., BURRAFATO G., FALGUÈRES C., GUELI A.M., STELLA G., TROJA S.O., ZUCCARELLO A.R.
(2010). "ESR and U/Th dating methodologies applied to carbonates from Southern Italy". In: I. TURBANTI
MEMMI ed. Proceedings of 37th International Symposium on Archaeometry. p. 481-488, Berlin Heidelberg:
Springer-Verlag
FARINELLA G.M., GALLO G., GUELI A.M., STANCO F. (2009). "Automatic Recognition of Color Pigments
from Raman Spectrum Analysis". COMMUNICATIONS TO SIMAI CONGRESS, vol. 3; p. 211-220
GUELI A.M., DUBERNET S., BURRAFATO G., CHAPOULIE R., RISTUCCIA G.M., SACHET I., STELLA G.,
TROJA S.O., ZUCCARELLO A.R. (2010). "Analysis of coloured beads from Petra (Jordan)".
SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (RN): Maggioli Editore, Quaderni di Ottica e Fotonica, vol. 19, p. 195-202