NCJ Number
248192
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 64 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 2014 Pages: 489-510
Date Published
October 2014
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study was conducted in order to determine whether thermal imaging (TI) could be useful in locating human remains.
Abstract
TI was successful in detecting thermal emissions from all insect larval masses and differentiating the remains from the surrounding environment; however, the investigation determined that there are several factors involved in using TI devices to detect cadaver remains. A basic knowledge of the equipment, the size of the cadaver remains, seasonal temperatures, and the stage of decomposition are all necessary to determine the optimum time frame for using TI to locate a buried cadaver. TI devices are heat sensitive, and although they are capable of working properly during the day, because they are such sensitive devices, they often image radiant heat in the surrounding areas. They should be used in the evening when the sun is not warming the surrounding environment. The cadavers of seven pigs were used during the autumn season in a wooded area of southern New England. Temperatures of the cadavers (core and external), insect larval mass and ambient air was taken twice daily. TI was performed once weekly. The control subject was saturated with insect repellant to differentiate decompositional temperature fluctuations' from insect larval temperature fluctuations. A significant temperature difference was found between larval masses and environmental temperatures. 1 table, 10 figures, and 45 references