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Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave

Pringle, Jamie K.; Jervis, John; Cassella, John P.; Cassidy, Nigel J.

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Authors

John Jervis

John P. Cassella

Nigel J. Cassidy



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.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 13, 2008
Online Publication Date Oct 27, 2008
Publication Date 2008-11
Publicly Available Date May 26, 2023
Journal Journal of Forensic Sciences
Print ISSN 0022-1198
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 53
Issue 6
Pages 1405 -1416
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00884.x
Publisher URL http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00884.x/abstract

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