School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, UK.
Forensic Sci Int. 2009 Nov 20;192(1-3):7-13. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.07.001. Epub 2009 Jul 30.
The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of how electrical resistivity surveys can be used to locate clandestine graves. Resistivity surveys were conducted regularly over three simulated clandestine graves containing a pig cadaver, no cadaver and a pig cadaver wrapped in tarpaulin, respectively. Additionally, soil and groundwater samples were collected from two more simulated graves outside the survey area. The grave containing a pig cadaver was detectable from a low resistivity anomaly in the survey data. Groundwater data suggest that the resistivity anomaly associated with the surveyed pig grave was caused by a localised increase in groundwater conductivity. Wrapping a cadaver was found to initially change the resistivity response of a grave to a high resistivity anomaly. Resistivity surveys did not detect the disturbed soil in the grave that did not contain a cadaver. Although soil samples showed grave soil to be more porous than undisturbed soil, the lack of response from the grave that did not contain a cadaver suggests that disturbed soil was not responsible for the resistivity anomalies observed in this study. Resistivity surveys successfully detected all graves containing cadavers throughout the study, whilst also showing the potential to eliminate the need for mass excavation in a genuine search.
本研究旨在深入了解电阻率测量如何用于定位秘密坟墓。在三个模拟的秘密坟墓中分别进行了电阻率测量，其中一个包含猪尸，一个没有尸骸，一个包裹在防水布中的猪尸。此外，还从调查区域外的另外两个模拟坟墓中采集了土壤和地下水样本。包含猪尸的坟墓可以从调查数据中的低电阻率异常中检测到。地下水数据表明，与受调查的猪尸坟墓相关的电阻率异常是由局部地下水电导率增加引起的。研究发现，包裹尸骸最初会使坟墓的电阻率响应变为高电阻率异常。电阻率测量未检测到没有尸骸的坟墓中受干扰的土壤。尽管土壤样本显示坟墓土壤比原状土壤更具多孔性，但没有尸骸的坟墓没有响应表明，受干扰的土壤不是本研究中观察到的电阻率异常的原因。电阻率测量成功地检测到了整个研究过程中所有包含尸骸的坟墓，同时也显示了在真正的搜索中消除大规模挖掘的可能性。
