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Laser Scanning Stonehenge

by Simon at 16:37 22/02/11 (Blogs::Simon)

For the next three weeks or so, a team of engineering surveyors will be laser scanning Stonehenge to create the highest resolution digital model of the monument and its landscape yet achieved.

(Facebook folks need to click the "View original post" link for more.)

The team will be scanning the landscape within the "Stonehenge Triangle" (bounded by the A303, the A344 and the Byway immediately west of Stonehenge) to a resolution of 10cm.

The monument itself will be scanned at a resolution of 2cm for the landscape bounded by the bank and ditch and 1mm for the stones.

Also, close range scans at 0.5mm resolution will be done of the visible faces of all the stones individually, both standing and fallen. Top surface modelling will use photogrammatic techniques rather than laser scans.

The end result should be impressive.

The lasers will all be "eye-safe" but the standard warning of "Do not stare into laser with remaining eye" still applies :-)
--
simon

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Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Simon - 16:37 22/02/11

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Bruce Ure - 17:02 22/02/11

Mmmmm.... laser...

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Simon - 22:13 23/02/11

I hear you've built a phaser recently :-)
--
simon

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Bruce Ure - 22:33 23/02/11

I *might* have built a 500mW Blu-ray-recorder-diode-powered violet (405nm) portable focusable laser... maybe. Capable of cutting through black insulating tape at 3m, you say? Possibly. And a 1.1 watt blue (445nm) Casio-projector-harvested-laser-diode-powered portable focusable yada yada capable of vapourising small mammals* at 300 yards**? Might have...

I might also have the heatsink machined for my 'HydraMag' which is a portable laser ("pointer" would stretching the definition somewhat) made from a 4xD-cell Maglite body, with 8 individually focusable blue heads.. total output 9 WATTS. Trying to figure a way of getting all the beams to converge on one point, adjustably, without having to take a degree in micro-optical engineering. I can visualise how to do it, just not how to MAKE what I can visualise :-/

* Full vapourisation may not occur.
** Actual vapourisation distance may vary.

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Simon - 09:48 24/02/11

Interesting. Beam combination would be tricky to achieve, especially if you want to retain coherence (though for spacecraft vapourisation that wouldn't matter).

Have you considered targetting the beams at the circumference of a circle inscribed around the centre of a parabolic mirror with tunable curvature?*
--
simon

* Warning. Do not target beams at a parabolic mirror, with or without tunable curvature.

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Bruce Ure - 10:39 24/02/11

Sod coherence. I just want WOAH!-factor.

My most realistic idea involves an octagonal arrangement of flat front-surface mirrors (which I have in my sticky paws), with a central threaded thing that alters all their angles at once... I guess that's kind of a parabolic mirror with tunable curvature, only slightly more practical.

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Simon - 11:36 24/02/11

That's exactly what I was imagining. Now I have the theme from Diamonds are Forever as an earworm.
--
simon

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Bruce Ure - 11:37 24/02/11

Oh, thanks. Now *I* have the theme for Diamonds are Forever as an earworm.

Re: Laser Scanning Stonehenge

Simon - 21:15 12/10/11

There's a fly-thru available on the EH website that's using the data gathered during this project.

No prizes for spotting that there's a lintel missing that should be there :-)

Comparison of video frame against photo of the SW Trilithon
--
simon

Attachments...
	(422 K)	3d missing lintel 158.jpg	Er...