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Hadrian's Villa is an ancient Roman archaeological site built over an ignimbritic tuff and characterized by abundant iron oxides, strong remnant magnetization, and elevated magnetic susceptibility. These properties account for the high-amplitude magnetic anomalies observed in this site and were used as a primary tool to detect deep archaeological features consisting of air-filled and soil-filled cavities of the tuff. An integrated magnetic, paleomagnetic, radar, and electric resistivity survey was performed in the Plutonium-Inferi sector of Hadrian's Villa to outline a segment of the underground system of tunnels that link different zones of the villa. A preliminary paleomagnetic analysis of the bedrock unit and a high-resolution topographic survey by aerial photogrammetry allowed us to perform a computer-assisted modelling of the observed magnetic anomalies, with respect to the archaeological sources. The intrinsic ambiguity of this procedure was reduced through the analysis of ground penetrating radar and electric resistivity profiles, while a comprehensive picture of the buried archaeological features was built by integration of the magnetization model with radar amplitude maps. The final subsurface model of the Plutonium-Inferi complex shows that the observed anomalies are mostly due to the presence of tunnels, skylights, and a system of ditches excavated in the tuff.

In archeological surveys of artifacts hidden under the ground, there are a number of issues that must be faced in determining where to excavate and still only minimally disturb the artifacts. Some of these artifacts have spiritual significance while others are of general historical nature. In using noninvasive means to determine the presence of these artifacts, a number of options are available. A new, emerging technology is the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR). However, in using this device due to the number of variables that can impact energy penetration and resolution, researchers are often not guaranteed a successful survey. Simple factors such as soil mineralogy or moisture content can often generate sometimes confusing and difficult to. The purpose of this project was to address such consistency problems with GPR surveys. To do this, the project sought to identify specific factors that will either benefit or complicate a GPR survey. Along with isolating the impacts of these factors, the project sought to develop a series of procedures to predict ahead of time what tools will be needed for a survey, and if that survey has a chance of success. In general, the questions this study sought to answer included: * Which variables are most affecting energy transmission and reflection? * Which are most affecting data resolution? Depth of penetration? * What parameters (geological, climatic, etc.) are most crucial to GPR surveys., The original document contains color images.