JGA/Tracking the Cold: Remote Sensing for Glacial Archaeology

In recent years airborne and spaceborne remote sensing have developed into a widely applied tool for archaeologists. In glacial archaeology, it has been employed successfully, but could see a wider application among practitioners. This article summarizes common remote sensing approaches useful to archaeologists in cryogenic environments. It covers simple applications using easily accessible data in order to enable the practitioner to monitor melt and contextualize archaeological sites within a larger landscape setting. The improved resolution and availability of remote sensing data enhances its usefulness with regards to identifying, documenting and monitoring sites in frozen environments and is a valuable addition to most field research pertaining to glacial archaeology.