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Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 14741

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrea Scianna

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Guest Editor

ICAR-CNR (High-Performance Computing and Networking Institute - National Research Council of Italy), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Interests: 3D information systems for valorization and accessibility improvement of cultural heritage; 3D survey and modelling; AR/VR applications; geoprocessing of aerial and satellite imagery; photogrammetry applications; BIM

Dr. Elisa Mariarosaria Farella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

3D Optical Metrology Unit, Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK), Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy
Interests: surveying; photogrammetry; 3D modeling; heritage
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The monitoring and proper management of cultural heritage (CH) are essential to preserve its existence and state of health. There are a variety of pressures to which CH is subject, including anthropic pressures; excessive access or use; exploitation of the soil; and especially pressures placed on the areas close to the cultural heritage, including the modifications of the planimetric configuration of the territory, the variation of bathymetric conditions, modifications of the coasts (some archaeological assets are very close to the sea, which invades them, and in some cases, they are submerged or semi-submerged), and the pressure exerted by the proliferation of excessive vegetation.

Monitoring and control operations become demanding, especially in countries where there is a large number of cultural assets or their accessibility for direct control is prevented. The latter is the case of the cultural heritage present in war zones. CH can also undergo deterioration due to biodeteriogenic or chemical attacks.

In all these cases it is absolutely strategic and necessary to use the most recent tools made available by the technological progress in the aerospace and IT fields for the control and protection of CH, and in this sense, the use of “geomatics” technologies and techniques like remote sensing coupled to the use of GIS is certainly of primary importance.

Remote monitoring and control, both real-time and delayed, can be facilitated by the use of satellite recordings (visible, infrared, or radar) and through the use of photogrammetric or thermal cameras and LIDAR sensors carried by aircraft (aerial surveys) or UAVs (close-range surveys).

Today there are numerous constellations of satellites (very often of free use) which make it possible to monitor a diverse range of atmospheric parameters and the state of health of objects on the earth's surface, in addition to geomorphological modifications. With aircraft and UAVs it is possible to obtain data at a very large scale and high resolution for more detailed analysis of small areas or single monuments.

For the processing and management of these data, GIS software is now used, the most recent functions of which make it possible to perform complex processing even on multispectral and hyperspectral data to be compared with the geometric and geo-morphological data that GIS traditionally provide. Through the integration between remote sensing and GIS it is therefore possible to highlight the analysis of cultural heritage, its relationship with the surrounding area, and the impact of changes of the surrounding territory on CH, their state of health, threats, and damages resulting from catastrophic events. The GIS also allow better management of cultural heritage through the management of the various human and material resources whose data can be integrated and compared to those coming from remote sensing activities.

In this context, we invite you to submit manuscripts that describe the potential contributions that the joint use of remote sensing and GIS can provide to the preservation and management of cultural heritage monitoring through remote sensing instruments and techniques.

Dr. Andrea Scianna
Dr. Elisa Mariarosaria Farella
Guest Editors

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Keywords

cultural heritage
synthetic-aperture radar (SAR)
satellite
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
remote sensing
geographic information system (GIS)
photogrammetry
3D
mapping

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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22 pages, 15678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Corridors Construction and Development Strategies for Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Study about the Yangtze River Economic Belt

by Tianxin Zhang, Yuliang Yang, Xin Fan and Shengya Ou

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13449; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813449 - 8 Sep 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1842 | Correction

Abstract

At present, there is obvious regional segmentation in the protection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. ArcGIS spatial analysis method and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) models are used to investigate the distribution characteristics of ICH and the suitability of corridor construction in this region. On this basis, the strategies for heritage corridor construction are proposed. (1) The results show that the density and distribution of ICH in the Yangtze River Economic Belt have distinct regional characteristics: most of the high-density areas are in the eastern region, yet the low-density areas are mainly in the western region. (2) The suitability of heritage corridor construction decreases from west to east, and the unsuitable areas are mainly distributed in the western region. (3) According to the spatial characteristics of heritage distribution and the suitability of regional corridor construction, the ArcGIS spatial analysis method is used to determine 37 heritage corridors in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. (4) On this basis, a corridor construction method that uses linear landscape as the corridor theme and connects individual heritage points is proposed. The development strategy of heritage corridors should be in line with local conditions in different regions so as to realize regional collaborative development. Furthermore, the influence domain of heritage corridors should be further increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation)

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14 pages, 11559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Central China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

by Ruiying Kuang, Yingying Zuo, Shen Gao, Penghua Yin, Yiting Wang, Zixi Zhang, Shiman Cai and Na Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075751 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2990

Abstract

In the context of China’s rural revitalization strategy, it is of profound significance to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in Central China, not only for the inheritance of Chinese traditional culture and the development of ICH, but also for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy itself. From the perspective of cultural ecology, this study analyzed the spatial distribution and clustering characteristics of 407 national intangible cultural heritages in Henan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces in Central China by using the ArcGIS geographic concentration index, kernel density, and other methods. This study also explored natural and social environmental influencing factors and their interaction on ICH spatial distribution using geographic detectors. The findings revealed that the ICH distribution in Central China has an obvious agglomeration trend, showing a “five cores” distribution structure (dense in the upper and the middle areas but sparse in the lower area). The regions with high kernel density are mostly river-flowing regions and are comparatively developed. In terms of influencing factors, the influence of economic and environmental factors together is stronger than that of natural environmental factors alone, and the interaction force between rivers and economic development is the most influential. Based on the above research findings, we put forward suggestions on the protection and development, as well as “era value” exploration of ICH in Central China, in the hope of promoting regional coordinated advancement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation)

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16 pages, 8808 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Rapid Assessment of 2022 Floods around the UNESCO Site of Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan by Using Sentinel and Planet Labs Missions

by Alexandru Hegyi and Athos Agapiou

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2084; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032084 - 21 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3461

Abstract

This communication study aims to provide evidence on how Sentinel sensors and Copernicus Programme’s contributing missions can support heritage endangered by natural hazards. The recent catastrophic floods of 2022 in Pakistan, mainly in the Indus Valley, threatened one of the most iconic sites within the country; thus, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mohenjo-Daro was selected here as a case study. Even if the main area of the site was not directly affected by the floods but rather by the heavy rains, its landscape suffered profound damage. This study aims to report a combined remote-sensing methodology for a rapid assessment of the flooded areas around the site. By using Sentinel-1 radar data in combination with mid-resolution Sentinel-2 data and Planet Lab images, it was possible to accurately map the affected areas near the site. This approach can be used to better understand the extent of the affected areas and build a better recovery strategy. A near-real-time satellite-based investigation and observations combining various sensors and resolutions (Sentinel 1 and 2 images, as well as Planet Lab images) can provide valuable insights for local heritage managers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation)

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17 pages, 12758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Correlation Degree of the Historical and Cultural Towns (Villages) in China

by Binbin Xie, Wei Wei, Yuanyuan Li, Congying Liu and Shengliang Ju

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1680; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021680 - 15 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2446

Abstract

Historical and Cultural Towns (Villages) (HCTVs) are the important parts in the recordation of the traditional culture, folk customs and architectural art in China. However, with the rapid development of the economy and rural urbanization, these towns and villages are faced with a series of problems, such as traditional features lost, traditional architecture destroyed and the lack of a long-term comprehensive and effective plan for scientific conservation measures. As a result, these historic heritages and their surroundings are in a serious crisis and will be destroyed to a certain extent. This paper chose 799 HCTVs as objects of this study, which were published by the Department of Housing Construction. The distribution features and mechanism have been analyzed with thesupport of GIS technology. In addition, the spatial correlation between elevation, stream, transportation, traditional culture and language was also explained through spatial overlay analysis. Through the statistical comparison and cluster analysis, it explored natural and human factors with the influence of HCTV distribution. The purpose is to help us make selection more reasonable and offer a reference of development of regional tourism for the future. The results showed that: (1) The spatial distribution of HCTVs clearly varies among different regions of China, and four concentrated typical areas are found in the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan border area, southeast coastal zone, Sichuan-Chongqing-Guizhou border area and Hunan-Guangxi border area. (2) The distribution characteristics have a peculiar style in the countryside and have a trend of cluster around a geographic line (e.g., a traffic line, a river) and a small town. (3) The HCTV has different characteristics in spatial form, river system distribution, regional culture and transportation system. The majority of them are distributed along the river and are cultural centers, traffic hubs and birthplace of civilizations in history. (4) Natural geographical environment, current population distribution patterns, level of regional economic development, accumulation of historic and cultural heritages, as well as rules and standards in the definition of HCTV, are the main factors affecting the spatial distribution. The purpose of this paper is to help us select more reasonable criteria and rules in the process of HCTV selection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation)

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17 pages, 6221 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migration and Land Exploitation from Yuan to Qing Dynasties: Insights from 252 Traditional Villages in Hunan, China

by Chuanchuan Yuan and Mu Jiang

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021001 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2116

Abstract

This paper investigates 252 traditional villages in Hunan, China, and uses ArcGIS and Geodetector to analyze village expansion and land exploitation from the Yuan dynasty to the Qing dynasty caused by factors such as migration during China’s middle and late imperial periods. This article demonstrates the development of land by the earlier settlers of ancient Chinese villages and shows the progression from easily exploited flatlands to more difficult-to-exploit mountainous areas. It also shows that early settlers relied more on natural factors when establishing their villages during the Yuan Dynasty but relied more on factors such as transportation due to the migration policies introduced during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This paper will help us to determine the migration dynamics of ethnic groups and the distribution of settlements in the region (Hunan region) during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing eras. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and GIS for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Preservation)

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