The discovery of the "muons-chamber" in the Great pyramid; could high-precision microgravimetry also map the chamber?. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pašteka, R.; Zahorec, P.; Papčo, J.; Mrlina, J.; Götze, H.-J.; Schmidt, S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 43(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Pyramid chamber -- 3D gravity model -- Microgravity measurement -- Muon scanning -- Big Void -- Archaeogeophysics; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103464
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Highlights: Paper deals with the newly detected Big Void "muons chamber" in the Great Pyramid, Gravity effects of four different versions of a 30 m long model cavity were calculated by means of synthetic modelling, Synthetic data give promising results, showing that such air-filled cavities could theoretically be detected by high-precision gravity measurements on the surface of the pyramid. Abstract: In this study we have investigated the question as to whether highly accurate microgravimetric measurements on the side of a pyramid could also map the recently discovered "muon chamber" in the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Exploiting the technical capabilities of modern gravimeters, we performed three-dimensional model calculations with realistic model parameters obtained from published literature. Under ideal experimental conditions researchers are able to measure relatively small gravity effects around −1 × 10 −7 ms −2 . However, to transfer the model scenario to investigating the real-world pyramid chamber we need to know what the chamber may contain – such knowledge can help in estimating a more realistic result.