Customer Reviews

Ground-Penetrating Radar: An Introduction for Archaeologists

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is a must for any archaeologist who wishes to exit the 20th century and enter the 21st. The authors explain how ground penetrating radar works and how it is applicable to archaeology in plain understandable language. There are several case studies included in the text, showing the spectrum of application and possibilities for this exciting technology. Also included is a table showing the likelyhood for definitive archaeological feature imaging in differing geologic matrixes. The text is written for the archaeologist and not the geophysicist, making it easy to understand. The contents of this book make it an excellent learning tool and field guide for archaeologists everywhere. This is a great addition to your research library.

This was the first manuscript on GPR I read, and in hindsight, I am glad I started with this approachable volume. This book admirably succeeds in explaining the theory and methods of GPR, and gives the reader the ability to make sense of often confusing GPR profiles and results. This handy volume should be on the shelf of not only archaeologist who use radar equipment, but also on the shelf of anyone who has to interpret GPR results.

This introductory book on GPR, intended for an archaeological audience, hits the mark perfectly. It is well worth the price and, when combined with training courses from the two book authors, an archaeologist with no prior experience in GPR can establish a foothold in this exciting field. While this book is somewhat outdated by Conyer's newer edition, this book is an essential item on my bookshelf, if I can only figure out where I left it.

If you read the description of this book above it states "It also contains more complex equations and theory so that the more technically oriented can use it as a reference tool". This is NOT true at all. There are literally 3 equation in the whole book and they are all simple ones such as K^(1/2) = c / v , where 'c' is speed of light in vacuum, 'v' is velocity of light in material, and K is dieletric permittivity. The other 2 equations are just as simple. This is not at all suited for the "technically oriented" and it is not at all suited for anyone interested in the electromagnetic theory behind GPR. It does cite some papers that might be of use for those who are interested in the real theory behind GPR, but otherwise it is pretty soft science.