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Possibilities of energy-resolved X-ray radiography for the investigation of paintings

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Abstract

X-ray radiographic images of paintings often show little or no contrast. In order to increase the contrast in radiographic images we measured the X-ray spectrum of a low power X-ray tube, after passing through the painting, with a high energy-resolution SDD detector. To obtain images, the detector is collimated with a 400 μm diameter pinhole and the painting was moved through the beam in the x and y-direction using a dwell time of a few seconds per pixel. The data obtained consists of a data cube of, typically, 200 × 200 pixels and a 512-channel X-ray spectrum for each pixel, spanning the energy range from 0 to 40 keV. Having the absorbance spectrum available for each pixel, we are able, a posteriori, to produce images by edge subtraction for any given element. In this way high contrast, element-specific, images can be obtained. Because of the high energy-resolution a much simpler edge subtraction algorithm can be applied. We also used principal-component imaging to obtain, in a more automated way, images with high contrast. Some of these images can easily be attributed to specific elements. It turns out that preprocessing of the spectral data is crucial for the success of the multivariate image processing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEADEN, Calle 30 #502 esq. 5ta ave, Playa, La Habana, Cuba

    Ana E. Cabal Rodríguez & Diana Leyva Pernía

  2. Dept. of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium

    Ana E. Cabal Rodríguez & Pierre J. M. Van Espen

  3. Artesis University College of Antwerp, Conservation Studies, Blindestraat 9, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium

    Olivier Schalm

Authors
  1. Ana E. Cabal Rodríguez
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  2. Diana Leyva Pernía
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  3. Olivier Schalm
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  4. Pierre J. M. Van Espen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pierre J. M. Van Espen.

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Published in the special issue Analytical Techniques in Art, Archaeology and Conservation Science with guest editor Oliver Hahn.

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Cabal Rodríguez, A.E., Leyva Pernía, D., Schalm, O. et al. Possibilities of energy-resolved X-ray radiography for the investigation of paintings. Anal Bioanal Chem 402, 1471–1480 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5230-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5230-x

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