Assessing Conservation Conditions at La Fortaleza de Kuelap, Peru, Based on Integrated Close-Range Remote Sensing and Near-Surface Geophysics

Assessing Conservation Conditions at La Fortaleza de Kuelap, Peru, Based on Integrated Close-Range Remote Sensing and Near-Surface Geophysics

We combined datasets from multiple research projects and remote sensing technologies to evaluate conservation conditions at La Fortaleza de Kuelap, a pre-Hispanic site in Peru that suffered significant damage under heavy seasonal rains in April 2022. To identify the causes of the collapse and where...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 16; no. 6; p. 1053
Main Authors: Ghezzi, Ivan, Kościuk, Jacek, Church, Warren, VanValkenburgh, Parker, Ćmielewski, Bartłomiej, Kucera, Matthias, Dąbek, Paweł B., Contreras, Jeff, Mori, Nilsson, Righetti, Giovanni, Serafini, Stefano, Rojas, Carol
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-03-2024
Subjects:
Accumulation
Archaeology
Climate change
Computer industry
Conservation
Cultural heritage
Datasets
Deforestation
Earthquake damage
Earthquakes
Electric properties
Electrical resistivity
Forests
Geophysics
High altitude
Humidity
hydrological analysis
Hydrology
LiDAR
Monuments
Optical radar
Photogrammetry
Precipitation
Protection and preservation
Rain
Rain water
Remote sensing
Research projects
Satellite imagery
seismic refraction
Stratification
Subsurface water
terrestrial laser scanning
Tourism
Trends
Water, Underground
Brazil
United States
United Kingdom
Peru
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Summary:We combined datasets from multiple research projects and remote sensing technologies to evaluate conservation conditions at La Fortaleza de Kuelap, a pre-Hispanic site in Peru that suffered significant damage under heavy seasonal rains in April 2022. To identify the causes of the collapse and where the monument is at further risk, we modeled surface hydrology using a DTM derived from drone LiDAR data, reconstructed a history of collapses, and calculated the volume of the most recent by fusing terrestrial LiDAR and photogrammetric datasets. In addition, we examined subsurface water accumulation with electrical resistivity, reconstructed the stratification of the monument with seismic refraction, and analyzed vegetation loss and ground moisture accumulation using satellite imagery. Our results point to rainwater infiltration as the most significant source of risk for La Fortaleza’s perimeter walls. Combined with other adverse natural conditions and contemporary conservation interventions, this led to the 2022 collapse. Specialists need to consider these factors when tasked with conserving monuments located in comparable high-altitude perhumid environments. This integration of analytical results demonstrates how multi-scalar and multi-instrumental approaches provide comprehensive and timely assessments of conservation needs.
ISSN:2072-4292
2072-4292
DOI:10.3390/rs16061053