Application of seismic surface waves at a pre-Columbian settlement in Honduras
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12429951 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Barbara Luke (0000-0002-0405-8133, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, corresponding author), Barbara A Luke, James E Brady (0000-0002-5223-6694, California State University Los Angeles) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 139-157 |
| Publication date | 1998-09-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Archaeological Prospection (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1075-2196 • E-ISSN: 1099-0763 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/(sici)1099-0763(199809)5:3<139::aid-arp101>3.0.co;2-o |
| OpenAlex | W2021733903 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
A technique to locate culturally significant features by means of mechanical stiffness contrasts using seismic surface waves was applied at a Pre-Columbian settlement along the Talgua River near the town of Catacamas, Department of Olancho, Honduras, Central America. This technique was adapted from geotechnical engineering, where it is used to establish layering of soil and rock. With this surface-based, non-intrusive technique, a stress pulse is applied at the ground surface and the resulting ground motion is sensed and recorded using a pair of geophones placed on the ground surface a short distance away. Through spectral analysis, the dispersive characteristics of the earth between the two geophones are determined. Anomalies were mapped by comparing dispersion “signatures” along linear arrays. For corroboration, electrical resistivity measurements were also conducted. Ground truth was established through excavations, during which several significant features were unearthed. The most valuable result of the geophysical investigation was the discovery that a thick layer of fill had been brought in to level the site. This documented that the Talgua Village was constructed on top of a massive modification of the natural landscape and implies a higher level of political power and complexity than suggested by the modest size of the surface mounds. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Archaeology · Geography · Remote sensing · Seismology · Settlement (finance · Computer Science · Geological and Tectonic Studies in Latin America · Geology
| Citations per year | 0.18 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2004 - 2015 (12) |
| Highly cited | No |