Photogrammetric survey of dinosaur skeletons

Abstract

To derive physiological data of dinosaurs, it is necessary to determine the volume and the surface area of this animals. For this purpose, a detailed survey of reconstructed skeletons is required. The skeletons of three dinosaurs in the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin and two skeletons in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris have been surveyed using stereo photogrammetry. Two of the Berlin skeletons were also surveyed with the close range laser scanners of the Institut für Navigation of the Universität Stuttgart. Both data acquisition techniques require a geodetic control network as a geometric reference system. The surveying methods used, together with results of mathematical approaches for the determination of the volume and surface of the animals are presented in this paper.

Body size and body volume distribution in two sauropods from the Upper Jurassic of Tendaguru (Tanzania)

“…The main advantage of the photogrammetric procedure is that geometrical calculations can be easily made from each body part (Tabs 1 and 2). With a sufficient size and number of parts and elements, the error of measurement for the total body mass can be kept to a minimum (Wiedemann Wehr 1998, Wiedemann et al 1999) . In contrast, when a measurement error appears with the humerus/femur circumference method, it results directly in a false calculation of the total mass.…”

“…Points of refer-ence were mounted on the skeleton for the photogrammetry and a three-dimensional reconstruction was made with stereo projectors (Gunga et al 1995, Wiedemann Wehr 1998, Wiedemann et al 1999. Then the dimensions of skeletons erected in the museum were determined by classical stereophotogrammetry either in the case of Brachiosaurus or scanned by a laser line by line in the case of Dicraeosaurus.…”