Passive Seismic Detection of Subsurface Archaeological Structures Using Public Ambient Noise Data: Harmonic Matched Filter Applied to the Valley of the Kings, Egypt
Abstract
We present a passive seismic methodology for detecting subsurface archaeological structures using exclusively public-domain ambient noise data, without field campaigns, without active sources, and without institutional affiliations. Applied to eight known tombs in the Valley of the Kings (Luxor, Egypt), the method recovers statistically significant detections at KV17 (Seti I, p=0.005) and KV5 (Sons of Ramesses II, p=0.034). Three complementary techniques are employed: Harmonic Matched Filtering with Wiener spectral weighting (HMF), three-component HVSR, and passive fault sonar. The spectral attenuation index kG is introduced as an empirical scalar relating HMF score to target depth (kG=23.1/km in Theban limestone, Q≈150). All data, methods, and results are fully reproducible from public seismic archives.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Seismic Waves and Analysis
Seismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques
Seismic Performance and Analysis
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 6 April 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint