X-radiography, or x-ray, of museum collections can aid in the research and conservation of these objects by enhancing the understanding of the material and providing information for characterization and condition assessment. X-ray is a non-invasive and non-destructive imaging technique that can reveal information beyond the visible. The radiographic image is the record of how the radiation is absorbed, transmitted or scattered by an object. In the past this record was formed on film, but now it is either on reusable phosphor imaging plates that are then scanned (indirect capture or computed radiography, CR) or a digital detector (direct capture or direct radiography, DR).

MCI is equipped with the GE Pegasus CR50P scanner for computed radiography (CR). We use 14x17in IPS and 14x36in IPC2 phosphor imaging plates allowing us to x-ray larger objects with fewer exposures and less stitching. We have a large lead lined room with an oversized sliding door acting as an entry for larger objects. For the most part we are not limited by the room size or imaging plate size. Our x-ray source is a Philips MOD 301/4, which goes up to 300kV and 10mA allowing us to work with thicker and more dense objects.

X-radiography In Art Conservation

Download 🔥 https://cinurl.com/2zvBGc 🔥

This imaging method is useful as it can provide information about construction techniques, establish its condition, identify materials that the object is made from and the structure of the object, and it can reveal underlayers of paintings or details of decorations. This information can help create a conservation plan for cleaning or preserving an object.

Visible light view and x-ray of 1880 oil on canvas landscape by FW Rogers. The x-ray reveals losses along the bottom edge, a tear in the top left quadrant, and the staples and stretcher making up the structure of the painting.

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation and are shorter in wavelength than ultraviolet radiation. This non-destructive technique is commonly used for technical examination of paintings in order to assess their condition and learn about the original materials and techniques used by artists. 

X-rays can pass through paint layers and supports quite easily but the level of penetration depends on the physical properties of the material being x-rayed like its density and thickness. For instance the x-rays penetrate the low-density materials (canvas support) relatively easily and are absorbed by higher-density materials (pigments containing heavy metals like lead white or minium). Thus when reading an X-ray the denser areas of the artwork show up lighter or even white. 

X-radiography is very useful for detecting the composition changes (pentimenti), hidden paintings and over-painted areas. This examination technique can reveal the information about the composition and condition of the painting canvases, panels, wooden sculptures, the location, extent and nature of damages like tears, holes, internal cracks, pest infestation and also old repairs like inlays, fabric patches, linings and fills. 

Information collected by X-ray examination is extremely valuable to conservators as it helps to determine the conservation issues of the object and subsequent correct conservation approach. The information revealed by this type of examination can also assist art historians in the interpretation of the art work and more specific dating.

The examination of artworks using X-rays must be done at the laboratory level and can be recorded with radiography techniques, which rely on the passing of X-rays through the object and recording the resulting image on radiographic film.

Waking up on my first morning, I walked out of my bungalow into the early morning light. The snug resort had eight rooms nestled among flowering trees and stone pathways that connected the rooms, restaurant and dive shop. A short walk led me past the turtle hatchery (more on that later) and I got a quick glimpse of two just-hatched turtles wandering around the sand enclosure. I made my way to breakfast and enjoyed my coffee while overlooking the beach.

Admiring the view and finding a new level of calmness, I headed over to the dive shop to get ready to dive. The island of Bali and all of Indonesia fall within the Coral Triangle, which is the most biodiverse marine area on Earth. I was excited to get in the water and see it for myself. The lovely crew was all smiles, as they helped me and the other divers get our gear ready. Then we walked just a few feet on the beach to the boat and headed out for our first dive.

I only had three days of diving to explore this secret paradise, which almost did not feel like Bali at all. Heading out about ten minutes by boat, our first dives were at sites called Close Encounters and Napoleon Reef. Both were lovely natural reefs with lots of marine life, including some rare creatures such as nudibranchs, flatworms, tiny egg cowries, ribbon eels and a baby whitetip reef shark no more than a foot long, wedged under a coral ledge.

The majority of the dive sites Reef Seen visits are no more than a ten-minute boat ride away, allowing divers on the boat to come back in between dives to get dry, relax and enjoy the view. As I settled into a peaceful state, I started chatting with Reef Seen owner Chris Brown, and quickly learned that Reef Seen has another side, which is not just about lying around relaxing in the sunshine or enjoying cool Bintangs on the beach.

On my second day of diving, we set out to see some of the numerous environmental and cultural projects Reef Seen has built. Chris opened Reef Seen 25 years ago, after finding the paradisiacal spot and deciding to stay. With illusions of relaxing and enjoying life on the small corner of Bali, he soon realized there were some problems occurring, and being a problem solver, he set out to fix them.

The program, still active today, aims to use education and dive training to train local fishermen and other members of the community in sustainable fishing practices and reef conservation and recovery. With funding from the Australian government, he was able to create a team of young people who became divers, were educated about the reef, assisted in reef protection projects and further educated the rest of the community in all of the above.

The Reef Gardener projects have included removing crown-of-thorns starfish and drupella shells; learning how to assist in repairing coral damaged by anchors, careless divers, nets and even natural causes such as storms; and helping in creating the artificial reefs in the area: BioWreck, Temple Garden and the Garden of the Gods.

I wanted to see some of the projects Reef Seen and Reef Gardeners had created, so on my second day of diving, we visited an artificial reef project known as Temple Gardens. Being the first dive operation in the area, Chris realized throughout the years that as tourism increased, more dive sites were needed in the area. If the increasing number of divers continued to only dive a few locations, it would likely have detrimental effects on those areas.

Using the concept of building an artificial reef to encourage coral and marine life expansion, Chris also incorporated the local culture. Instead of just sinking a ship or concrete blocks, his dream was to build an underwater temple. Securing funding from the Bali Rehabilitation Fund (established by Aus Aid) after the Bali bombings, Chris and the Reef Gardeners were able to build the underwater temple in 2005.

Before back-rolling into the water, you can see the remains of a temple on the hill directly in front of the dive site. While descending into the blue, you start to make out the shapes of the temple layout. Due to some winds and high surf, visibility was not perfect for my dive, but the milky water almost added a mystical ambience to the scene. A sort of underwater mist settled on what seemed to be an ancient underwater temple.

More than ten large stone statues could be found at around 26m (85ft) on a sandy bottom near a reef wall. Twelve years after its creation, it would be easy for a diver to swim past this area and miss it entirely, because the ocean will have decorated the statues with gorgonian sea fans, encrusting it with colorful sponges and covering some of the recognizable features with purple barrel sponges. Fish swarmed the statues. Looking closely, we saw several species of nudibranchs and even an electric clam in one of the statues.

A quick Google search on the underwater Balinese Temple reveals a funny story from 2010 when many articles falsely reported that a true ancient underwater temple had been found. Many news agencies picked up the story before it was corrected to more accurately report that the temple was recently created and not an ancient archaeological discovery.

Either way, it was one for my list of favorite dive experiences. I cannot fully explain how much I enjoyed this dive site. Visiting temples is part of what one does in Bali, and to combine the spirituality of Bali with the ocean seemed like a perfect idea to me.

Returning to the dive resort after visiting the Temple Garden, I was in a state of spiritual bliss. The short boat ride under sunshine and clear skies was pleasant. As we pulled up on the beach, I noticed a lot of people gathered right at the shore break, looking at the sand. As we got closer, I asked our dive guide what was going on, and he said they were releasing baby turtles! e1438dca32