Hyperspectral fluorescence lidar imaging at the Colosseum, Rome: Elucidating past conservation interventions

Fluorescence lidar techniques offer considerable potential forremote, non-invasive diagnostics of stone cultural heritage in the outdoorenvironment. Here we present the results of a joint Italian-Swedishexperiment, deploying two hyperspectral fluorescence lidar imagingsystems, for the documentation of past conservation interventions on theColosseum, Rome. Several portions of the monument were scanned and weshow that it was possible to discriminate among masonry materials,reinforcement structures and protective coatings inserted during pastconservation interventions, on the basis of their fluorescence signatures,providing useful information for a first quick, large-scale in situ screeningof the monument.