Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave

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

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.

Citation

Pringle, J. K., Jervis, J., Cassella, J. P., & Cassidy, N. J. (2008). Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 53(6), 1405 -1416. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00884.x

• 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