Pringle, JK, Jervis, J, Cassella, JP and Cassidy, NJ (2008) Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 53 (6). 1405 -1416. ISSN 1556-4029

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Abstract

A simulated clandestine shallow grave was created within a heterogeneous, made-ground, urban environment where a clothed, plastic resin, human skeleton, animal products, and physiological saline were placed in anatomically correct positions and re-covered to ground level. A series of repeat (time-lapse), near-surface geophysical surveys were undertaken: (1) prior to burial (to act as control), (2) 1 month, and (3) 3 months post-burial. A range of different geophysical techniques was employed including: bulk ground resistivity and conductivity, fluxgate gradiometry and high-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR), soil magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and self potential (SP). Bulk ground resistivity and SP proved optimal for initial grave location whilst ERT profiles and GPR horizontal "time-slices" showed the best spatial resolutions. Research suggests that in complex urban made-ground environments, initial resistivity surveys be collected before GPR and ERT follow-up surveys are collected over the identified geophysical anomalies.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Q Science > QE Geology
Divisions: Faculty of Natural Sciences > School of Physical and Geographical Sciences
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Symplectic
Date Deposited: 28 Nov 2014 10:08
Last Modified: 19 Jun 2018 15:36
URI: https://eprints.keele.ac.uk/id/eprint/165

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