The Application of Remote Sensing in the Conservation of the Archaeological Site of Pachacamac (Second–Sixteenth Century, Peru)

Human activity and natural events may deteriorate or destroy archaeological sites. Mitigation is therefore a priority for their preservation. Pachacamac Museum has developed programs for research and conservation since 2008. The archaeological sanctuary of Pachacamac (second-sixteenth century), which consists of buildings made from adobe, roads, enclosures, and platforms, is located along the semi-arid central coast of Peru and was damaged in about 600 due to intense rain related to a major sixth-century El Ni & ntilde;o event. More recent damage occurred during the 1925-26 El Ni & ntilde;o episode. The Templo del Sol (fifteenth-sixteenth centuries) is one of the main adobe constructions, located on a hill about 60 m high. Orthophotogrammetric data was obtained for the Templo del Sol, to construct a 3 cm resolution digital surface model (DSM) and an orthoimage. Morphometric analysis of the DSM using hydrological and geomorphological quantitative parameters identified areas subjected to water flow or pooling during rainfall, and exposure of the building to wind and solar radiation, the latter responsible for the deterioration of painted walls. Areas of potential collapse were identified. This provides quantitative data for the planning, design, and execution of activities to preserve the site.La actividad humana y los acontecimientos naturales pueden deteriorar o destruir los sitios arqueol & oacute;gicos. Por lo tanto, la mitigaci & oacute;n es una prioridad para su preservaci & oacute;n. El Museo Pachacamac ha desarrollado programas de investigaci & oacute;n y conservaci & oacute;n desde 2008. El santuario arqueol & oacute;gico de Pachacamac (siglos II-XVI), que consta de construcciones hechas de adobe, caminos, recintos y andenes, est & aacute; ubicado a lo largo de la costa central semi & aacute;rida de Per & uacute; y result & oacute; da & ntilde;ado alrededor del a & ntilde;o 600 debido a una intensa lluvia relacionada con un importante episodio de El Ni & ntilde;o del siglo VI. Los da & ntilde;os m & aacute;s recientes ocurrieron durante el episodio de El Ni & ntilde;o de 1925-26. El Templo del Sol (siglos XV-XVI) es una de las principales construcciones de adobe, ubicada en una colina de unos 60 m de altura. Se obtuvieron datos ortofotogram & eacute;tricos del Templo del Sol, para construir un modelo digital de superficie (DSM) de 3 cm de resoluci & oacute;n y una ortoimagen. El an & aacute;lisis morfom & eacute;trico del DSM utilizando par & aacute;metros cuantitativos hidrol & oacute;gicos y geomorfol & oacute;gicos identific & oacute; & aacute;reas sujetas a flujos o encharcamientos de agua durante las lluvias, y exposici & oacute;n del edificio al viento y la radiaci & oacute;n solar, esta & uacute;ltima responsable del deterioro de las paredes pintadas. Se identificaron & aacute;reas de posible colapso. Esto proporciona datos cuantitativos para la planificaci & oacute;n, dise & ntilde;o y ejecuci & oacute;n de actividades para preservar el sitio.