How Deep Do We Dig? | Stella Nova Education

Global accumulation as a starting-depth instrument

This tool provides a generalized global model for estimating how much matter may accumulate above cultural materials across broad environmental regimes. It is designed to support the first field question before survey, excavation, or remote-sensing design: how deep should the investigation begin before likely cultural remains, architecture, buried surfaces, or artifact-bearing contexts become detectable?

The model emphasizes gross accumulation. Regional erosional correction, net burial, site disturbance, and GPR-specific signal constraints are reserved for the next tool in the series.

0–1,000,000 year temporal window Environmental regime weighting Stacked layer visualization Global summary panel

Interpretive scope

The visualizer does not replace field survey, stratigraphic judgment, coring, test units, or geophysical calibration. Its purpose is to give archaeologists a structured, global, first-pass depth expectation before moving into regional or site-specific modeling.

Outputs are displayed as ranges, bands, and excavation/scan windows rather than exact predictions.

Temporal window

Global environmental emphasis

Layer display mode

Tool 1 models gross accumulation. Erosion, truncation, deflation, uplift, disturbance, and GPR signal constraints are identified as regional correction factors for Tool 2.

Global generalized model

Temporal window

Gross accumulation

Starting depth band

Detection emphasis

Global Summary Panel

Layer contributions are generalized by the selected temporal window and environmental emphasis. Values are rounded and presented as planning ranges.

Layer	Model role	Low	Median	High

Methodological Note

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Scholarly Questions and Additions

Use this local annotation log for methodological questions, sedimentation references, proposed environmental regimes, layer additions, excavation scenarios, and field-use corrections.