Researchers find ancient aboriginal settlements buried underground in UAE

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Khalifa University of Science and Technology announced that researchers at the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Laboratory, using remote sensing techniques in satellites, conduct a study of the archaeological site of Saruq Al Hadid, previously researched by a team from Dubai Municipality with the laboratory of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre.

Researchers found ancient aboriginal settlements and a new archaeological area buried underground adjacent to the excavation area was found.

Currently, the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Laboratory at Khalifa University explore another archaeological site near Al Ain, as part of a project supervised by Dr Diana Francis, Head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Laboratory.

Results showed that radar imaging allows direct detection and identification of the characteristics of buried objects, as researchers use artificial aperture radar in satellites, with very high accuracy, to detect features at the size of 1 metre, in a depth of two metres underground.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said, “The University’s researchers focus their efforts on areas related to science, engineering, technology and healthcare. They also employ remote sensing in archaeology to uncover historical and cultural archaeological sites in the UAE."

Hammadi added that the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Laboratory at Khalifa University uses remote sensing technology and develops an application specialised in monitoring effects, which can be used in similar desert environments anywhere in the world.