Spectroscopy, Diffraction and Tomography in Art and Heritage Science

Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Ghent University (Belgium). Graduated with a PhD in Analytical Chemistry in 1993 from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), where she was involved in the optimization of new technologies for inorganic micro and trace analysis. Current research involves the use of synchrotron spectroelectrochemistry for monitoring and treatment of corroded metallic objects. She has gained expertise for over 25 years in the interdisciplinary field of science and cultural heritage. Her contributions to the latter field include chairmanship of COST Action G8 “Non-destructive Analysis and Testing of Museum Objects”, vice-chairmanship of COST Action D42 “Chemical Interactions between Cultural Artefacts and Indoor Environment” and vice-chairmanship of the European Federation of Corrosion Working Party 21: “Corrosion of Archaeological and Historical Artifacts”. Emeritus Professor in Physics at The University of Warwick, UK. He gained his PhD from the City of London Polytechnic in 1977 after constructing one of the UK’s earliest static SIMS instruments. Moving to Warwick in 1986, he pursued a career in instrument and technique development being responsible for several innovations underpinning the ultra low energy SIMS technique such as the floating low energy ion gun (FLIG) and the SIMS depth resolution function (Dowsett-Rowlands function). In 2003 he switched fields to develop instrumentation for synchrotron spectroelectrochemistry and spectromicroscopy and is responsible for a range of environmental cells, a XEOL microscope and in-situ x-ray diffraction methodologies all applied to heritage science.

1. Introduction: Origins and Fundamentals

2. Raman and infrared spectroscopy

3. Spectroscopy and diffraction using the electron microscope

4. UV – visible and near IR reflectance spectroscopy

5. X-Ray and Neutron Tomagraphies

6. X-ray diffraction

7. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

8. Neutron Diffraction

9. Laboratory and synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy

10. Ion beam analysis

11. High energy particle analysis