Theoretical Advantages of Archeoacoustic Stress Testing (AST) over Generalized Mechanical Prospection in the Detection of Sub-Terrestrial Lithic Structures

Generalized mechanical prospection methods, such as seismic refraction, seismic reflection, and related elastic-wave survey techniques, are typically parameterized for geotechnical and resource-exploration applications rather than for the shallow, spatially discrete targets characteristic of archaeological contexts. This technical note presents Archeoacoustic Stress Testing (AST), a theoretical framework that applies the same established principles of elastic wave propagation, acoustic impedance and the reflection coefficient at a material boundary, under parameters selected specifically for the depth range, density contrast, and geometry of buried lithic structures. AST introduces no new physical principle; its proposed contribution is the target-specific calibration of source frequency content, expected impedance values, and interpretation thresholds to archaeological lithic targets. This note compares AST against generalized mechanical prospection across three theoretical metrics, vertical resolution, material differentiation, and downstream data-processing burden, and outlines three environmental derivations of the framework: Marine AST, Saharan AST, and Planetary AST. All comparative claims presented are derived from first-principles wave mechanics rather than from controlled field trials; the note concludes by specifying the empirical work required before any operational efficacy claim can be considered established. Keywords: archaeological geophysics; acoustic impedance; near-surface seismic survey; non-invasive prospection; reflection coefficient