Technologies for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

ANNA MARIA SIANI

The course intends to introduce students to the feasibility of applying atmospheric sciences to the conservation of art works. Students will learn fundamental principles of physics which should allow them to describe microphysical phenomena. They will, in addition, acquire the skills to diagnose causes responsible for damage related to inadequate microclimatic conditions.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
-understand the microclimatic conditions for the preservation of cultural heritage, including the main physical and environmental factors (such as temperature, relative humidity, ventilation, and solar radiation) that influence material degradation, both in indoor and outdoor environments;
- use technical terminology related to the microclimate for cultural heritage accurately and consistently, in order to communicate effectively with professionals in the field, including conservators, restorers, and museum climate control specialists;
-illustrate and explain the fundamental concepts of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, with particular focus on their applications in the microclimatic context, such as the control of airflows and temperature variations;
-demonstrate a basic understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum and radiometric quantities relevant to the evaluation of environmental conditions affecting cultural heritage.

Basic knowledge on physics and math

Introduction of atmospheric physics applied to microclimate analysis and conservation. Atmospheric composition, atmospheric pressure and vertical profile.
The Fundamental forces: the pressure gradient force, the gravitational force, the viscous force. Noninertial reference frame and the apparent forces. Scale analysis. The basic conservations laws in the Lagrangian and Eulerina frames: conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Geostrophic flow, the effect of the friction. Generality on atmospheric turbulence. Measuring wind and indoor motions: hot wire anemometry and sonic anemometer.
Air temperature, indoor temperature. The key moisture variables (mixing ratio of dry air and water vapor, absolute humidity, specific humidity, relative humidity). Wet bulb temperature and dew point temperature. The psichrometric chart. Air-surface intercations and environmental diagnostics.
Condensation of liquid water on the object surface. Time-of-Wetness. Micropore condesation. Kelvin equation.
The solar spectrum, attenuation of light in the atmosphere, daily and seasonal cycles of solar radiation on a surface, radiation emitted by Earth and its atmosphere. Radiative balance and energy balance at surface.
Characterizing indoor conditions with descriptive statistical analysis of microclimate data on the basis of European Standards

Camuffo D. Microclimate for Cultural Heritage (2nd edition, 2014, Elsevier)
Palmieri S. Dispense Meteorologia http://www.phys.uniroma1.it/DipWeb/web_disp/d3/dispense/palmieri--meteo.pdf
-A. Bernardi: Il microclima negli ambienti museali. Il Prato
- Appunti del corso

Lectures, Active learning discussion sessions, active and passive problem solving classes, home work. The formative assessment is performed via interaction between teacher and students during lectures and exercises. Students are involved in questioning, in discussion and in proposing strategies to solve exercises, by means of open oral questions to the entire class.

Recommended

Two mid-term written exams.
1° on the first part of the program contents
2° on the second part of the program contents.
Otherwise a written exam on the whole program.
The final score can be improved with oral exam

The Fundamental forces
The key moisture variables

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