Actions

Download Analytics Citations

Export to: EndNote  |  Zotero  |  Mendeley

Collections

This file is not currently in any collections.

Timelapse ERT and GPR of the Vallum of Hadrian's Wall at Magna [dataset] Open Access

While geophysical techniques like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and magnetometry are mainstays in archaeological prospection, complex resistivity methods such as Induced Polarization (IP) self-potential (SP) and timelapse Electrical resistivity Tomography (TL-ERT) remain markedly under exploited. A bibliometric review of published international literature and UK-specific technical reports confirms that these methods are rarely deployed. To demonstrate the untapped potential of these techniques, we present a practical case study in the application of TL-ERT alongside high-resolution GPR of the Vallum of Hadrian's Wall at Magna Roman fort. Stratigraphic profiles derived from 200MHz and 500MHz GPR surveys were first used to successfully delineate the eroded monument, identifying the infilled ditch and spread of the flanking mounds. The structural interpretation of the 200MHz GPR data provided a priori constraints for a single timestep of the TL-ERT survey. By decoupling regularisation across the GPR-defined boundaries, the interpretive clarity of the ERT models was vastly improved without worsening data misfit, overcoming one of the traditional limitations of standard smoothness-constrained inversions. Furthermore, a 2D TL-ERT transect was repeatedly surveyed across two distinct temporal phases to capture dynamic changes in subsurface resistivity. The timelapse results revealed pronounced resistivity fluctuations that correlated with local precipitation events and subtle variations in water table depth. These temporal anomalies highlighted complex groundwater interactions with the sensitive, waterlogged archaeological deposits within the ditch, including a significant potential shift in groundwater flow offline from the TL-ERT transect. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that pairing TL-ERT monitoring with structurally constrained inversions offers a potentially powerful tool for assessing dynamic groundwater interactions vulnerable archaeological environments as well as for delineating subsurface structure.

Descriptions

Resource type

Dataset

Contributors

Creator: Bithell, Sam ¹
Contact person: Bithell, Sam ¹
Data collector: Bithell, Sam ¹
Data curator: Bithell, Sam ¹
Editor: Bithell, Sam ¹
Contact person: Nielsen, Stefan ¹
Data collector: Nielsen, Stefan ¹

¹ Durham University, UK

Funder

Natural Environment Research Council

Research methods

Other description

Keyword

Timelapse
ERT
GPR
Hadrian's Wall
Resistivity
Monitoring

Subject

England--Hadrian's Wall
Tomography

Location

Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Language

English

Cited in

Identifier

ark:/32150/r2ns064606z
doi:10.15128/r2ns064606z

Rights

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA)

Publisher

Durham University

Date Created

2026-19-06

File Details

Depositor

S.T. Bithell

Date Uploaded

19 June 2026, 10:06:39

Date Modified

22 June 2026, 09:06:23

Audit Status

Audits have not yet been run on this file.

Characterization

File format: zip (ZIP Format)

Mime type: application/zip

File size: 61195452

Last modified: 2026:06:19 11:29:48+01:00

Filename: RAMC24-tlERT_GPR.zip

Original checksum: 4f043b8e74d63b627a12ecc176c2f155