New Project For a Surface Penetrating RADAR

The present paper resumes some results related to the projects “CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVE INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY” – CHANGES and “HUMANITIES AND HERITAGE ITALIAN OPEN SCIENCE CLOUD” – H2IOSC. For surface scanning applications of frescoes, plasters, and other works of art, it is necessary to use a high working frequency, to obtain good spatial resolution and adequate penetration. In this case, we chose to use a working frequency between 4 GHz and 6 GHz, which corresponds to a wavelength of approximately 1 cm in a medium in which the propagation speed of the electromagnetic wave is 0.07m/ns. At this frequency, objects with dimensions of the order of a millimeter and depths of up to a few tens of centimeters can be detected. The instrumentation aims to provide images of the object under examination from which it is possible to determine, without ambiguity, its morphological and electromagnetic properties (dielectric permittivity and conductivity). Furthermore, an application will be possible that allows remote detection of vital signs (for example breathing and heartbeat).