As a first step, some kind of taxonomy for the investigation of material and place is proposed, with this study providing a clear framework for wide area or more localised investigations. We can begin by asking exactly how to investigate materials? Excitation and detection provide clues in proposing the subjecting of substance to process and performing observation (detection and/as analysis) of received signals. Processes can include hitting, heating, dissolving, passing electrical current, placing in (changing) magnetic fields, crumbling, wetting, adding (other substances), mixing, and scraping amongst many others. Umbrella methodologies are not limited to the esoteric (EVP,ITC, dowsing), the scientific in a wide sense(teleological eg. farming, oil prospecting, analysis and destructuring), aesthetic, forensics (as a science also), archaeological, epistemic, the investigation of materials as a revealing, and fetishistic/psychoanalytic. The crypt and cryptographic (decoding) refer to a certain inscription and digging; divining a diagram of execution.

- assessment of local features and ley lines - classifications after Alfred Watkins The Old Straight Track

- scrying: low frequency EM, higher frequency (AD8313), subject's GSR, temperature (to this we could also add magnetic flux, alpha, beta, gamma radiation)

- grouping around geophysical archaeology: earth resistance, magnetometer (FGM-3 or proton precession magnetometer), geophone (and a heavy object banged on the ground = bowsing), magnetic susceptibility, chemical tests such as for phosphates or calcium (crossover with lab studies)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophysical_survey_(archaeology)

- geomancy/esoteric techniques such as dowsing with rods or pendulum (also some kind of mobile electrometer). Ref: TC Lethbridge: http://tclethbridge.blog.co.uk/

- other biological/psychological measurements or studies of the subject in motion through the site (eg. EEG, skin impedance, heart rate)

- other properties which can be surveyed (descriptive, photographic ground scan/imaging).

Responses noted or logged as to location (GPS (and other more accurate forms of GPS such as DGPS, RTK), by hand, a mechanical method)

Enacted at a specific location, on a specific substrate.

- surface recording and playback/inscription/feelers

- EVP/ITC methods (catalogue here) expanded by techniques such as the long-term logging of white noise generators

- excavation and burying (encryption)

- seismometer and other local geophysical

- soil/substance analysis - resistance, chemical, soil kit, potentiostat (see also arduino potentiostat project: ardustat: http://steingart.ccny.cuny.edu/ardustat )

- logic potentials of a site or sample measured (perhaps with amateur doping of the substrate)

- long-term logging of magnetic field, wide band signals (as for location in site survey)

Subjecting materials to process(es) and observation(s)/(visible, feeling, measuring, hearing, smelling).

Processes such as: hitting, heating, dissolving, electrical, electrochemical, magnetic, chemical, crumbling, wetting, adding to, mixing, scraping.

Dating by eg, lichenometry (Roland Beschel)

substrate (mineral, geologic) formation mechanisms (studies devolved around mobile/immobile lab):

primary:

super pressure (eg. diy soil liquefaction)

superheating → liquid state minerals → supercool → mineral/crystallisations (additional fluxes - eg. water, gases in magmas)

precipitation of substances in solution (eg. halite crystals from salt contaminated substrates)

vibration (ultrasonic?) diy compression wave tester

secondary:

constraint release simulations of mechanical and chemical weathering for de/re-compositioning (eg. freeze-thaw/wetting-drying/carbonic acid deposition lab cycles)

↓

exposure to organic formation/addition through precipitation or pressure particulate surface deformation/deposition (wet/dry carbon-based depositions eg. de-dolomotization by application of potato mould))

↓

formation of physio-chemical reactants (periodic observation of surface physics and chemistry eg. Ph monitoring (eg.red cabbage water), colour change, surface etching, disaggregation, precipitation, hosting of carbon micro-ecologies)

tertiary:

continued deformation cycles of primary/secondary configurations (cycling of some/all primary/secondary mechanisms)

simple substrate correspondence classification tests:

• scratching (relative scale)
• grinding or streaking substrates on hard surface eg. kerbs
• colour (natural/UV light) and lustre
• form
• cleavage (hammer)
• magnetism (magnets/compass)
• taste
• vinegar (1-stage sorting), hydrochloric acid test (2-stage sorting)
• smell (sulphurous)

A primitive classification could be attempted according to methods of excitation (ex) and subsequent detection (det).

ex: alternating current, heat, applied fields/magnetic (crossover)

det: measure impedance/resistance, NMR, curve trace, rendering executable

ex: white noise, ultrasonic, infrasound, vibration/hitting a surface

det: hearing, microphone, sensation, custom detection of infrasound

ex: laser, movement/vibration (in liquids), filters, smoke, liquids (say on OHP), crystals, lenses

det: eyes, photodiode, photomultiplier, photo film/paper/chemistry, video/digital camera

ex: making waves, white noise

det: detector, diode, radio receiver, SDR, magnet field, coil, TV receiver, fluxgate/precession magnetometer, changes in resistance, tuning, changes in local magnetic flux

ex: microwave

det: radiation detector, DRAM, NMR