Monitoring controlled graves representing common burial scenarios with ground penetrating radar

Journal of Applied Geophysics

Volumn 83, Issue , 2012, Pages 74-89

  Schultz, John J ^a   Martin, Michael M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA   (United States)

Author keywords

Controlled graves; Forensic archaeology; Forensic science; Ground penetrating radar; Pig carcasses

Indexed keywords

CONTROLLED GRAVES; FORENSIC ARCHAEOLOGY; FORENSIC SCIENCE; GROUND PENETRATING RADAR; PIG CARCASS;

ANTENNA GROUNDS; ANTENNAS; GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS; MAMMALS; SOIL MOISTURE;

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR SYSTEMS;

ARCHAEOLOGY; FORENSIC SCIENCE; GEOPHYSICS; GROUND PENETRATING RADAR; MONITORING; PIG; SOIL MOISTURE;

GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM; SUIDAE; SUS SCROFA;

EID: 84861695268     PISSN: 09269851     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jappgeo.2012.05.006     Document Type: Article

References (45)

1. Bevan B.W. The search for graves. Geophysics 1991, 56:1310-1319.
2. Billinger M.S. Case report: utilizing ground penetrating radar for the location of a potential human burial under concrete. Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal 2009, 42:200-209.
3. Brady N.C., Weil R.R. The Nature and Properties of Soils 2002, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, 960 pp. 13th ed.
4. Carter D.O., Yellowlees D., Tibett M. Moisture can be the dominant environmental parameter governing cadaver decomposition in soil. Forensic Science International 2010, 200:60-66.
5. Cheetham P. Forensic geophysical survey. Forensic Archaeology: Advances in Theory and Practice 2005, 62-95. Routledge, New York. J. Hunter, M. Cox (Eds.).
6. Clark A. Seeing Beneath the Soil: Prospecting Methods in Archaeology 1996, Batsford Ltd., London, 192 pp. first rev. ed.
7. Climate-Zone.com Available at, Accessed February 2, 2012. http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/florida/orlando/index_centigrade.htm.
8. Conyers L.B. Ground-Penetrating Radar for Archaeology 2004, Alta Mira Press, New York, 224 pp.
9. Conyers L.B. Ground-penetrating radar techniques to discover and map historic graves. Historical Archaeology 2006, 40:64-73.
10. Conyers L.B., Cameron C.M. Ground-penetrating radar techniques and three-dimensional computer mapping in the American Southwest. Journal of Field Archaeology 1998, 25:417-430.
11. Davenport G.C. Remote sensing applications in forensic investigations. Historical Archaeology 2001, 35:87-100.
12. Dionne, C.A., 2009. Detecting buried metallic weapons in a controlled setting using a conductivity meter and ground-penetrating radar. Thesis, University of Central Florida, Florida.
13. Dionne C.A., Wardlaw D.K., Schultz J.J. Delineation and resolution of cemetery graves using geophysical methods. Technical Briefs in Historical Archaeology 2010, 5:20-30.
14. Doolittle J.A., Bellantoni N.F. The search for graves with ground-penetrating radar in Connecticut. Journal of Archaeological Science 2010, 37:941-949.
15. Doolittle J.A., Schellentrager G. Soil Survey of Orange County, FL 1989, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, 175 pp.
16. Dupras T.L., Schultz J.J., Wheeler S.M., Williams L.J. Forensic Recovery of Human Remains: Archaeological Approaches 2006, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 232 pp.
17. Fenning P.J., Donnelly L.J. Geophysical techniques for forensic investigation. Forensic Geoscience: Principles, Techniques and Applications 2004, 11-20. Geological Society, London. K. Pye, D.J. Croft (Eds.).
18. France D.L., Griffin T.J., Swanburg J.G., Lindemann J.W., Davenport G.C., Tranunell V., et al. A multidisciplinary approach to the detection of clandestine graves. Journal of Forensic Sciences 1992, 37:1445-1458.
19. France D.L., Griffin T.J., Swanburg J.G., Lindemann J.W., Davenport G.C., Trammell V., et al. NecroSearch revisited: further multidisciplinary approaches to the detection of clandestine graves. Forensic Taphonomy: The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains 1997, 497-509. CRC Press, Boca Raton. W.D. Haglund, M.H. Sorg (Eds.).
20. Freeland R.S., Miller M.L., Yoder R.E., Koppenjan S.K. Forensic application of FM-CW and pulse radar. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics 2003, 8:97-103.
21. Hochrein M.J. An autopsy of the grave: recognizing, collecting, and preserving forensic geotaphinimc evidence. Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Methods, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives 2002, 45-70. CRC Press, Boca Raton. W.D. Haglund, M.H. Sorg (Eds.).
22. Jervis J.R., Pringle J.K., Tuckwell G.T. Time-lapse resistivity surveys over simulated clandestine burials. Forensic Science International 2009, 192:7-13.
23. Jervis J.R., Pringle J.K., Cassella J.P., Tuckwell G. Using soil and groundwater data to understand resistivity surveys over a simulated clandestine grave. Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics 2009, 271-284. Springer Publishing, Dordrecht. K. Ritz, L. Dawson, D. Miller (Eds.).
24. Jones G. Geophysical mapping of historic cemeteries. Technical Briefs in Historical Archaeology 2008, 3:25-28.
25. Killam E.W. The Detection of Human Remains 2004, Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Springfield, 268 pp.
26. Manhein M.H. Decomposition rates of deliberate burials: a case study of preservation. Forensic Taphonomy: The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains 1997, 469-481. CRC Press, Boca Raton. W.D. Haglund, M.H. Sorg (Eds.).
27. Morgan R.M., Bull P.A. Forensic geoscience and crime detection: identification, interpretation and presentation in forensic geoscience. Minerva Medicolegale 2007, 127:73-89.
28. Morton R.J., Lord W.D. Detection and recovery of abducted and murdered children: behavioral and taphonomic influences. Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Methods, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives 2002, 151-171. CRC Press, Boca Raton. W.D. Haglund, M.H. Sorg (Eds.).
29. Nobes D.C. The search for "Yvonne": a case example of the delineation of a grave using near-surface geophysical methods. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2000, 45:715-721.
30. Novo A., Lorenzo H., Rial F.I., Solla M. 3D GPR in forensics: finding a clandestine grave in a mountainous environment. Forensic Science International 2011, 204:134-138.
31. Powell K. Detecting buried human remains using near-surface geophysical instruments. Exploration Geophysics 2004, 35:88-92.
32. Pringle J.K., Jervis J.R. Electrical resistivity survey to search for a recent clandestine burial of a homicide victim, UK. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2010, 202:e1-e7.
33. Pringle J.K., Jervis J.R., Cassella J.P., Cassidy N.J. Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2008, 53:1405-1416.
34. Pye K. Geological and Soil Evidence: Forensic Applications 2007, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 335 pp.
35. Pye K., Croft D.J. Forensic geosciences: introduction and overview. Forensic Geoscience: Principles, Techniques and Applications 2004, 1-5. Geological Society, London. K. Pye, D.J. Croft (Eds.).
36. Ruffell A. Searching for the IRA 'disappeared": ground-penetrating radar investigation of a churchyard burial site, Northern Ireland. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2005, 50:1430-1435.
37. Ruffell A., McKinley J. Forensic geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations. Earth-Science Reviews 2005, 69:235-247.
38. Ruffell A., McKinley J. Geoforensics 2008, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UK.
39. Ruffell A., Donnelly C., Carver N., Murphy E., Murray E., McCambridge J. Suspect burial excavation procedure: a cautionary tale. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2009, 183:e11-e16.
40. Schultz J.J. Variables affecting the gross decomposition of buried bodies in Florida: controlled graves using pig (Sus scrofa) cadavers as a proxy for human bodies. Florida Scientist 2007, 70:157-165.
41. Schultz J.J. Using ground-penetrating radar to locate clandestine graves of homicide victims: forming forensic archaeology partnerships with law enforcement. Homicide Studies 2007, 11:15-29.
42. Schultz J.J. Sequential monitoring of burials containing small pig cadavers using ground penetrating radar. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2008, 53:279-287.
43. Schultz J.J., Martin M.M. Controlled GPR grave research: comparison of reflection profiles between 500 and 250MHz antennae. Forensic Science International 2011, 209:64-69.
44. Schultz J.J., Collins M.E., Falsetti A.B. Sequential monitoring of burials containing large pig cadavers using ground-penetrating radar. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2006, 51:607-616.
45. Vass A.A., Bass W.M., Wolt J.D., Foss J.E., Ammons J.T. Time since death determinations of human cadavers using soil solution. Journal of Forensic Sciences 1992, 37:1236-1253.