Participant Support Costs for PIRE: Computationally-Based Imaging of Structure in Materials (CuBISM)

The purpose of the proposed program is to probe the color/rendering properties of complex heterogeneous materials, with a focus on the materials used in creating works of art. The grand challenge is to understand the coupling of material structure from nanoscopic to macroscopic length scales to the visual appearance, and to use this coupling as a probe of material properties. This coupling will be addressed by incorporating light/matter interactions into computational chemistry approaches, which will also be developed to understand the physical-chemical changes that occur in materials over long periods of time. This information can be used to reconstruct the appearance of an object as originally created, and project the appearance into the future. This methodology is of primary importance to the art conservation community, which has developed advanced research infrastructures in Europe that are rare or nonexistent in the U.S. These European resources are essential for the completion of the project goals, which are to provide a greater understanding of the way in which chemical and physical changes within a material gradually distort its visual perception, and to develop a mechanistic understanding of these alteration pathways. The proposed PIRE project integrates teams from leading cultural heritage science institutes in France, the Netherlands and Italy. While the tools will be applicable to modern engineered materials as well, examples from art provide a much broader educational impact. A combination of individual and cohort visits to the three primary international sites will provide students with an international perspective on science and research, while building skills in communicating the role of science in society.