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Semblance analysis to assess GPR data from a five-year forensic study of simulated clandestine graves.

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Title: Semblance analysis to assess GPR data from a five-year forensic study of simulated clandestine graves.
Authors: Booth, Adam D.1 a.d.booth@leeds.ac.uk, Pringle, Jamie K.2 j.k.pringle@keele.ac.uk
Source: Journal of Applied Geophysics. Feb2016, Vol. 125, p37-44. 8p.
Subjects: Ground penetrating radar, Forensic geophysics, Interment, Geological surveys, Environmental monitoring, Antennas (Electronics)
Abstract: Ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys have proven useful for locating clandestine graves in a number of forensic searches. There has been extensive research into the geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine graves in different burial scenarios and ground conditions. Whilst these studies have been used to suggest optimum dominant radar frequencies, the data themselves have not been quantitatively analysed to-date. This study uses a common-offset configuration of semblance analysis, both to characterise velocity trends from GPR diffraction hyperbolae and, since the magnitude of a semblance response is proportional to signal-to-noise ratio, to quantify the strength of a forensic GPR response. 2D GPR profiles were acquired over a simulated clandestine burial, with a wrapped-pig cadaver monitored at three-month intervals between 2008 and 2013 with GPR antennas of three different centre-frequencies (110, 225 and 450 MHz). The GPR response to the cadaver was a strong diffraction hyperbola. Results show, in contrast to resistivity surveys, that semblance analysis have little sensitivity to changes attributable to decomposition, and only a subtle influence from seasonality: velocity increases (0.01–0.02 m/ns) were observed in summer, associated with a decrease (5–10%) in peak semblance magnitude, S M , and potentially in the reflectivity of the cadaver. The lowest-frequency antennas consistently gave the highest signal-to-noise ratio although the grave was nonetheless detectable by all frequencies trialled. These observations suggest that forensic GPR surveys could be undertaken with little seasonal hindrance. Whilst GPR analysis cannot currently provide a quantitative diagnostic proxy for time-since-burial, the consistency of responses suggests that graves will remain detectable beyond the five years shown here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Applied Geophysics is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Semblance analysis to assess GPR data from a five-year forensic study of simulated clandestine graves.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Booth%2C+Adam+D%2E%22">Booth, Adam D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> a.d.booth@leeds.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pringle%2C+Jamie+K%2E%22">Pringle, Jamie K.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><i> j.k.pringle@keele.ac.uk</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Applied+Geophysics%22">Journal of Applied Geophysics</searchLink>. Feb2016, Vol. 125, p37-44. 8p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ground+penetrating+radar%22">Ground penetrating radar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forensic+geophysics%22">Forensic geophysics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interment%22">Interment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geological+surveys%22">Geological surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+monitoring%22">Environmental monitoring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Antennas+%28Electronics%29%22">Antennas (Electronics)</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys have proven useful for locating clandestine graves in a number of forensic searches. There has been extensive research into the geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine graves in different burial scenarios and ground conditions. Whilst these studies have been used to suggest optimum dominant radar frequencies, the data themselves have not been quantitatively analysed to-date. This study uses a common-offset configuration of semblance analysis, both to characterise velocity trends from GPR diffraction hyperbolae and, since the magnitude of a semblance response is proportional to signal-to-noise ratio, to quantify the strength of a forensic GPR response. 2D GPR profiles were acquired over a simulated clandestine burial, with a wrapped-pig cadaver monitored at three-month intervals between 2008 and 2013 with GPR antennas of three different centre-frequencies (110, 225 and 450 MHz). The GPR response to the cadaver was a strong diffraction hyperbola. Results show, in contrast to resistivity surveys, that semblance analysis have little sensitivity to changes attributable to decomposition, and only a subtle influence from seasonality: velocity increases (0.01–0.02 m/ns) were observed in summer, associated with a decrease (5–10%) in peak semblance magnitude, S M , and potentially in the reflectivity of the cadaver. The lowest-frequency antennas consistently gave the highest signal-to-noise ratio although the grave was nonetheless detectable by all frequencies trialled. These observations suggest that forensic GPR surveys could be undertaken with little seasonal hindrance. Whilst GPR analysis cannot currently provide a quantitative diagnostic proxy for time-since-burial, the consistency of responses suggests that graves will remain detectable beyond the five years shown here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Applied Geophysics is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1016/j.jappgeo.2015.11.016
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Ground penetrating radar
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Forensic geophysics
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      – SubjectFull: Interment
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              Text: Feb2016
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