The aim of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge about some physical experimental methods to study materials of interest in cultural heritage field.
Course Prerequisites
Basics of Electromagnetism, Nuclear physics, Quantum Mechanics.
Teaching Methods
The course program includes both theoretical lessons on a variety of physical methods for cultural heritage studies and laboratory exercises, essentially related to Raman spectroscopy, Electron paramagnetic resonance and neutron activation methods.
Assessment Methods
Oral examination. The student first presents a specific topic (among those presented during the course and agreed with the teachers) illustrating the physical basics and the experimental issues, also recalling one or more scientific papers that report experimental results related to the chosen methodology/ technique.
Texts
Documents prepared by the teacher and related to the techniques discussed during the course, accompanied by selected research papers in the field of cultural heritage
Contents
The program includes a section devoted to Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. Raman and micro-Raman spectroscopy, photo and thermoluminescence, neutron activation, C-14 dating will be also treated. In some cases practical demonstrations will be also proposed.
