Impact of open visits on the indoor climate of Mogao Caves

Fluctuations in the internal climate of cave temples can pose a significant threat to delicate murals and statues. Such fluctuations are influenced by both external climate and tourist activity. However, due to the complex interplay of multiple factors, traditional time domain statistical methods fall short in quantifying the specific contributions of external climate and tourist influx to changes in temperature and relative humidity within the caves. This paper addresses the impact of open visits on the indoor climate of the Mogao Caves. Using wavelet analysis, we performed a comparative analysis of environmental monitoring data from selected caves during both regular visitation periods and the COVID-19 lockdown. By separating the frequency bands of the cave’s temperature and humidity responses to external climate conditions and tourist activity in the time-frequency domain, we quantitatively assessed the contributions of each. Our findings provide valuable insights to support decision-making in the management of cave access.