Military technology to solve document riddle – NRK

On the shelves at NTNU Gunnerus Library says more ancient manuscripts and books that contain information that has not been possible to uncover the past.

Now Emilio Catelli, a research fellow at the Institute of Chemistry at NTNU, examine these texts as part of his doctoral work in collaboration with Gunnerus Library and Lise Lyngsnes Rand Berg, professor of biomedical optics and photonics at NTNU. It was NTNU and SINTEF’s research journal Gemini who first publicized case.

One of the first Catelli has examined an old pergamentbit located in a separate mount at the library. Parchment is a half side of the NTNU think is a parish that was created by monks in the 1400s. They do not know where the other half side is, or whether it comes from the book still exist.

– our main objective is to analyze the variety of pigments in the document for better understand how precious it is. In addition, it can tell us a lot about the creator’s abilities, says Catelli NRK.

Gentle Survey

The method Catelli will mainly make use of, called hyperspectral imaging. It is a method that uses a camera that scans the object and is able to distinguish between 160 different colors at a resolution of 1600 pixels. The advantage of such a method is that it protects the document for printing and load, and risk of destroying fragile pergamentbiter is minimal.

Emilio Catelli and Lise Randeberg

Photo: Synne Merete Mæle / Gemini

– This method scans the document without the need to touch it or expose it to light for an extended period. Hyperspectral imaging has been used on manuscripts before, but it’s not a big field. It was first used very recently, explaining Catelli.

– Hyperspectral imaging has proven to be a very suitable method for researching art. The method was originally developed for military use, including monitoring of aircraft. In the fields of medical diagnostics, food, archeology and environmental monitoring is also used hyperspectral imaging, says Lise Lyngsnes Randeberg to Gemini. Randeberg even used method to characterize bruises.

Can help library

In addition to analyzing pigments, can Catelli project help the library to preserve documents better.

– We examine what we call “state of conservation”, where we look for chemical changes in the documents, explaining Catelli. This survey tells Gunnerus Library for document needs treatment.

Catelli next project of the doctoral work he performs along with fellow Kidane Fanta Gebremariam, is investigating one of the pages in a book which previously belonged writer Sigrid Undset. Book now stands at Gunnerus Library and keeps secrets Catelli will try to uncover.