Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has received much media attention with the increase of crime scene investigation shows on the airwaves. Despite some exaggeration for TV sensationalism, GPR is a powerful forensic tool which can be used to locate unmarked graves, buried weapons or caches of drugs and similar items. Objects are located directly with GPR or inferred from disturbed soil conditions GPR basically detects anomalies in the ground; the operator must dig to confirm the source of the anomaly. While this sometimes results in finding targets of non-interest (tree roots, water lines), it is still better than the old random search method that required a shovel and a lot of patience. GPR works by sending pulses of radio waves into the ground and measuring the travel time for the returning reflection. Reflections result when the GPR wave encounters a change in electrical properties as it travels through the host material. This could be caused by a localized target (a gun or box of money) or an area where the soil conditions have changed (due to digging). By collecting continuous lines of data over an area, investigators are able to detect and map anomalies and focus in on those areas, rather than excavating the entire field searching for evidence.
Ground penetrating radar for forensics
Bodenradar für die Forensik
CINDE Journal (Canada's National NDT Magazine) ; 30 , 4 ; 16-17
2009
2 Seiten, 7 Bilder
Article (Journal)
English
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