[OSGeo Africa] Use of remote-sensing technology to locate old burial sites ?

[Balazs Szabó]

Hello,

I suggest you to read this article:
http://www.ic-mp.org/ar/press-releases/icmp-finds-improved-methods-for-locating-mass-graves/
Maybe this institution have more sophisticated method to find  a mass
burial site.
(I don't know anything about them, just I have found them on google).

I have found also a blogger: http://bonesdontlie.wordpress.com/
Maybe she can help you to find an appropriate method.

My idea: you should check old topographic maps - younger than 180 year.
(Usually those maps mesure by walk, and maybe the cartographer put some
kind of sign about the burial site).

Hope that this helps,
Balázs



2013/7/15 christopher legg <christopher.legg at blueyonder.co.uk>

> A critical factor will be the land-use history of the site since burial.
> If there has been occasional (or continuous) cultivation, this would be
> a problem. If left undisturbed, then soil properties might well be
> different from surroundings.
>
> The cheapest option would be to try Landsat ETM imagery from two seasons
> - end of rainy season and end of dry season. This would highlight
> vegetation anomalies due to different water retention of soils. Spatial
> resolution would be a problem, since the site might only occupy a few
> pixels of Landsat imagery. Two similar dates of very high resolution
> satellite imagery - IKONOS or better - a NIR band would be very good,
> but expensive. You could check whether there is any HYperion imagery of
> the area, this would be free but you would have to be very lucky.
>
> ASTER might show some anomalies due to soil disturbance - cheap but poor
> spatial resolution, especially in the thermal which might be best
> spectral option. Otherwise airborne scanners, which could be expensive
> depending on what is already available in RSA.
>
> Once you have some anomalies for follow-up from satellite imagery, then
> ground geophysics - high resolution magnetics and/or ground penetrating
> radar - would be very useful.
>
> Hope that this helps,
>
> Chris Legg
>
> On Mon, 2013-07-15 at 15:26 +0200, Chris wrote:
> > Dear Listees ,
> >
> >     I know that there are a lot of really clued up people on the list.
> >     I am hoping someone can suggest / help / provide some insight into
> the
> >     following scenario.
> >
> >     Someone is trying to locate an historical site of mass burial (
> about 180
> >     years ago ) The general area is known but the exact location of the
> mass
> >     burial site is lost. Apparently earlier writers who visited the scene
> >     describe a location based on vegetation ( the area has changed a lot
> over
> >     the years )
> >
> >     Is there any way using remote-sensing / any other form of geophysical
> >     technology / methodology to attempt a location discovery ?
> >
> >     I am guessing that the disturbed soil may have different properties
> that
> >     might be picked up by some form of specialised imageing
> --hyperspectral /
> >     multispectral  ( something else ? )
> >
> >     Would something like a Landsat 8 image be useable ? Or would the area
> >     have to be flown by an aerial borne sensor ?  The battle site is
> easily
> >     located but the mass burial site would obviously be smaller ( not
> sure of
> >     exact dimensions but probably something along the lines of half an
> >     olympic sized pool )
> >
> >     Finding the site would be of important historical significance.
> >
> >     Any and all suggestions welcomed
> >
> >     Thanks
> >
> >
> >     CM
> >
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>
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