Stimulated infrared thermography applied to thermophysical characterization of cultural heritage mural paintings

¹ GRESPI/ECATHERM, UFR Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, BP 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 02, France
² Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques, 29 avenue de Paris, 77420 Champs-sur-Marne, France

^a e-mail: jean-luc.bodnar@univ-reims.fr

Received: 19 July 2012
Revised: 18 September 2012
Accepted: 11 October 2012
Published online: 5 November 2012

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to approach stimulated infrared thermography possibilities in terms of measuring longitudinal thermal diffusivity of mural paintings in situ. The measuring method principle is first submitted. It is based on temporal analysis of changes in the characteristic radius beams of spatial profiles of the photothermal signal, measured on the spot of the laser excitation. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated, thanks to a series of simulations. Lastly, the method enables to correctly estimate longitudinal thermal diffusivity in a test sample, and further in a fragment copy of “Saint Christophe” belonging to the Campana collection in the Louvre.