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The role of magnetic susceptibility as a geophysical survey technique: A site assessment at high cayton, north yorkshire
Author(s) -
Batt C.,
Fear S.,
Heron C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
archaeological prospection
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.785
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1099-0763
pISSN - 1075-2196
DOI - 10.1002/1099-0763(199512)2:4<179::aid-arp6140020402>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - magnetic survey , magnetic susceptibility , sampling (signal processing) , magnetometer , anomaly (physics) , magnetic anomaly , magnetic field , geology , geophysical survey , geophysics , prospection , sampling interval , archaeology , geography , physics , statistics , computer science , mathematics , telecommunications , condensed matter physics , quantum mechanics , detector
Measurement of magnetic susceptibility is becoming increasingly popular as a method of archaeological prospection, mainly due to the rapidity with which it can be carried out and the relatively inexpensive nature of the equipment required. This study examines the effectiveness of the method, using both field and laboratory‐based measurements, compared with magnetometry, resistivity and pulsed induction meter surveys for the investigation of the site of the rural medieval village at High Cayton in North Yorkshire. An investigation is also made of the effect of different magnetic susceptibility sampling intervals on anomaly discovery and delimitation. It is demonstrated that magnetic susceptibility surveys, using a 1 m by 1 m sampling interval, produce complementary but distinctly different information to other geophysical survey methods. It is also shown that laboratory and field measurements of magnetic susceptibility differ as laboratory methods remove some variables whose effects are difficult to quantify, such as stones and soil moisture. However, these variables may be archaeologically relevant. Larger sampling intervals are shown to lead to the progressive distortion of results and loss of anomaly definition, culminating in a 10 m by 10 m sampling interval where even features with extensive, strong magnetic anomalies are difficult to define and delimit, demonstrating the limitations of magnetic susceptibility measurements when used as a rapid technique to detect features within large survey areas.