Detecting Buried Bodies Using Near-Surface Geophysical Instruments

Abstract

Remote sensing instruments have increasingly been applied to assist police locate buried murder victims, particularly during the last ten years. For the forensic investigator it is still a problem to identify the exact location of buried human skeletal remains within a large targeted search area. This presentation describes unique Australian research in forensic anthropology that is currently examining the application and effectiveness of geophysical instruments for the detection of buried skeletal remains. Three aspects of the research are covered in this discussion: a national survey of Australian police jurisdictions conducted to establish how clandestine graves are located and the extent of the application of geophysical instruments in forensic case situations; the controlled experimental gravesites used to test the effectiveness of selected geophysical instruments representative of forensic case scenarios; and a situation in which resistivity was successfully applied to the detection of a 150 year old burial. The national survey of police investigation section reveals that no reported locations of bodies have used geophysical instruments. This research will have significant impact on being able to provide data on reliable techniques for criminal investigations. The experimental gravesites contain kangaroos, pigs and cadavers, and on the animal graves, ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic induction have presented positive results in locating the burials. This is the only known international research in this field that involves the burial of cadavers and presents a unique opportunity to establish a base of working field knowledge.