The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials

Salsarola, Dominic; Poppa, Pasquale; Amadasi, Alberto; Mazzarelli, Debora; Gibelli, Daniele; Zanotti, Emma; Porta, Davide; Cattaneo, Cristina

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.06.006

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In previous similar studies, it was pointed out that both the buried body as well as the disturbed burial zone contributed to an observed clandestine grave anomaly (Schultz and Martin ; Salsarola et al ). The magnitude of these responses is however expected to become less pronounced over time due to decomposition of the body, settling or compaction of soil, and rainfall drainage.…”

Section: Discussion Of Resultsmentioning

confidence: 84%

A controlled monitoring study of simulated clandestine graves using 3D ground penetrating radar

Schoor

Nienaber

Marais-Werner

2017

Near Surface Geophysics

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A controlled three-dimesional ground penetrating radar monitoring study over simulated clandestine graves was conducted near Pretoria, South Africa, in which the detectability of graves as a function of post-burial interval was assessed, as this is of particular interest to local forensic investigators. It was demonstrated that the site-specific environmental parameter (a clay-rich loamy soil with poor drainage) and heavy seasonal rainfall (as confirmed by ground-penetrating-radar-derived soil moisture estimates) drastically compromised the long-term grave detectability, especially when adopting a three-dimensional depth slice analysis approach. It is also seen that the disturbed burial zone is the major contributor to the total grave anomaly rather than the buried body due to the combination of environmental parameters and the absence of buried artefacts. This paper also advocates the combined use of different data representations (two-dimensional and three-dimensional) to increase the likelihood of detecting subtle grave anomalies. single operating frequency in the range of 100-1000 MHz, and the resulting depth of investigation is typically limited to the first few metres of the near-surface. In GPR, there is a trade-off between range and resolution: increasing the operating frequency implies a higher resolution, but at the cost of a decreasing range associated with the corresponding increase in attenuation; similarly, a lower operating frequency will enable a greater depth of investigation, but at reduced mapping accuracy.GPR studies that relate to grave detection can be classified as either of a heritage or a forensic nature. In heritage-related studies, the typical survey aim is to identify unmarked cemetery graves, for example, Fiedler et al. (2009), Hansen, Pringle and Goodwin (2014), and Barone et al. (2016). Forensic studies typically involve the somewhat more challenging task of searching for clandestine burials; for example, Pringle et al. (2008) advocated the use of a multi-technique approach to identify possible clandestine burials in an urban environment and using GPR as a follow-up tool for obtaining better resolution on selected anomalies; however, the challenges associated with detecting subtle clandestine burial anomalies using GPR in the noisy and heterogeneous ground conditions of urban environments were highlighted. Schultz (2008) studied the monitoring of pig cadaver burials in sandy soils and emphasised the difficulty in detecting anomalies after a few months

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Section: Discussion Of Resultsmentioning

confidence: 84%

A controlled monitoring study of simulated clandestine graves using 3D ground penetrating radar

Schoor

Nienaber

Marais-Werner

2017

Near Surface Geophysics

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“…These studies complement contemporary investigations of diagenesis of skeleton remains related to the prospects of obtaining a useful DNA profile in cases of skeletonized or partially skeletonized human remains-such as in mass graves [12][13][14], historical [15,16], criminal [17][18][19] or civil forensic cases. Also in the field of forensic investigations burial is a relatively common way of hiding corpses [20]. In all those cases, bone degradation may be a key factor affecting whether DNA can be recovered from buried samples.…”

Section: Human Exhumed Bones and Forensicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of burial period on compact bone microstructure: Histological analysis of matrix loss and cell integrity in human bones exhumed from tropical soil

Astolphi

Alves

Evison

et al. 2019

Forensic Science International

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“…In forensic science, anthropologists and pathologists frequently encounter cases in which human remains are concealed. The most important are burial in an unusual or inaccessible place (forest, cave, high mountains) [1], dismemberment [2], charring [3], throwing the weighted body into the open sea or a pit [2], and burying the body wrapped or packed in large bags or plastic sheets [4]. Another method that should not be neglected is dissolving the body in corrosive substances [5].…”

Section: Introduction and Contextualizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Focus on Caustic Acid Substances and Bone Tissue: What Forensic Anthropologists and Pathologists Should Pay Attention To

Tambuzzi¹

2023

AEOAJ

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The interaction between caustic acid substances and a human body is typically observed in forensics as a means of concealment and destruction. In this regard, the literature is sparse, and the few studies that have been conducted have been primarily on animal bones. However, since it has been shown that the complete dissolution of a body in acid is more of a theoretical occurrence than a real one, we sought to focus on this particular aspect and to gather the latest findings from the literature. It has been shown that traces of human teeth and bones can still be effectively detected even after immersion in acidic substances through Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis. Furthermore, compact bone has been identified as the best substrate for investigating the human nature of acid-immersed bone remains. Thus, it is necessary for forensic anthropologists (and, of course, pathologists) to be aware of the critical issues involved in approaching a body immersed in acid, as well as the analyses that can be performed to uncover the clues that may lie in microscopic traces that can be easily overlooked.

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The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials

Cited by 13 publications

References 16 publications

A controlled monitoring study of simulated clandestine graves using 3D ground penetrating radar

A controlled monitoring study of simulated clandestine graves using 3D ground penetrating radar

The impact of burial period on compact bone microstructure: Histological analysis of matrix loss and cell integrity in human bones exhumed from tropical soil

Focus on Caustic Acid Substances and Bone Tissue: What Forensic Anthropologists and Pathologists Should Pay Attention To

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