ISPRS-Archives The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ISPRS-Archives Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci. 2194-9034 Copernicus Publications Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-5-W2-109-2013 TOWARDS OPTIMAL SPECTRAL AND SPATIAL DOCUMENTATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE. COSCH – AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTION IN THE COST FRAMEWORK Boochs F. 1 Bentkowska-Kafel A. 2 Degringy C. 3 Hautta-Kasari M. 4 Rizvic S. 5 Sitnik R. 6 Tremeau A. 7 i3mainz, University of Applied Sciences Mainz, Lucy Hillebrand Str. 2, 55128, Mainz, Germany Department of Digital Humanities, King's College London, 26–29 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5RL, UK Haute Ecole de Conservation-restauration, Espace de l'Europe 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland School of Computing, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne bb, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia-Herzegovina Faculty of Mechatronics, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-525 Warsaw, Poland Laboratoire Hubert Curien UMR 5516, Université Jean Monnet – Saint Etienne, 18 rue B. Lauras, Saint-Etienne, 42000 France 19 07 2013 XL-5/W2 109 113 Copyright: © 2013 F. Boochs et al. 2013 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This article is available from https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XL-5-W2/109/2013/isprs-archives-XL-5-W2-109-2013.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XL-5-W2/109/2013/isprs-archives-XL-5-W2-109-2013.pdf

This paper introduces the aims and early activities of Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (COSCH), an interdisciplinary European network of experts in the latest optical measuring techniques and electronic imaging applied to documentation of artefacts. COSCH is a forum open to organisations, institutions and companies interested in collaboration within the emerging field of precise spectral and spatial imaging techniques, in physical and chemical sciences applied to cultural heritage objects, as well as in research and applications to conservation and art-historical analysis of such objects. COSCH started in November 2012. Funded by COST, an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, COSCH networking activities enable knowledge exchange and coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level with occasional contribution of experts from other countries. Funding has been made available for four years (2012&ndash;2016). Participation is open to researchers across a wide range of disciplines, including computer scientists and museum professionals, art historians and academics in heritage-related fields. COSCH is a trans-domain Action (TD1201) of the COST Domain Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS) which facilitates and promotes innovation in material science. The work of COSCH is defined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the COST Office and the Chairman of COSCH. The Memorandum is available from <a href="http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/TD1201"_target="blank">http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/TD1201</a> alongside the latest progress report and other documents. The scientific work draws on earlier and current research of the participants and is organised around the following areas: spectral and spatial object documentation; algorithms and procedures; analysis and restoration of surfaces and objects of material culture; visualisation of cultural heritage objects and its dissemination. Up-to-date information about COSCH activities, including its scientific and training programmes, abstracts of presentations and a list of participants, can all be found on the Action website at http://www.cosch.info.