Integration of Remote-Sensing Techniques for the Preventive Conservation of Paleolithic Cave Art in the Karst of the Altamira Cave

A groundbreaking integration of remote-sensing techniques—including 3D terrestrial laser scanning, drone flights, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR)—has revolutionized the documentation and conservation of Paleolithic cave art, such as that found in the Altamira Cave. This study demonstrates how combining these technologies with 3D geographic information systems (GIS) enables the creation of highly detailed cave maps, revealing critical features like overlying layer thickness, fractures, and karst senescence. Such precise mapping is invaluable for research, management, and monitoring of fragile rock art, offering new insights into interior-exterior interconnections and gaseous exchange processes that threaten its preservation.

Bayarri, V., Prada, A., García, F., Díaz-González, L. M., De Las Heras, C., Castillo, E., & Fatás, P. (2023). Integration of Remote-Sensing Techniques for the Preventive Conservation of Paleolithic Cave Art in the Karst of the Altamira Cave. Remote Sensing, 15(4), 1087. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15041087