Rodriguez W C, Bass W M
J Forensic Sci. 1985 Jul;30(3):836-52.
This is the second report on an ongoing study conducted to collect data on the decompositional rates of human cadavers and the first on buried cadavers. Six unembalmed human cadavers were buried separately in unlined trenches of various depths and allowed to naturally decompose for a time period ranging from a month to a year. During the period of burial, data were collected daily on the air, soil, and cadaver temperature at each burial site. At the end of each specified burial period the cadavers were exhumed and examined for the degree of decomposition which had taken place as well as changes in the soil pH, surface vegetation, and carrion insect activity. Analysis of the data shows that the decomposition rate of buried cadavers is highly dependent on the depth of burial and environmental temperatures. The depth at which the cadaver was buried also directly affected the degree of soil and vegetational changes as well as access by carrion insects. Application of this information can contribute to a more accurate estimation of time since death of a buried corpse and may aid in the location of such corpses.
这是一项正在进行的研究的第二份报告，该研究旨在收集有关人类尸体分解速率的数据，这也是第一份关于埋葬尸体的报告。六具未防腐处理的人类尸体被分别埋在不同深度的无衬砌沟渠中，任其自然分解，时间从一个月到一年不等。在埋葬期间，每天收集每个埋葬地点的空气、土壤和尸体温度数据。在每个规定的埋葬期结束时，将尸体挖出，检查其发生的分解程度以及土壤pH值、地表植被和食腐昆虫活动的变化。数据分析表明，埋葬尸体的分解速率高度依赖于埋葬深度和环境温度。尸体埋葬的深度也直接影响土壤和植被变化的程度以及食腐昆虫的接触情况。这些信息的应用有助于更准确地估计埋葬尸体的死亡时间，并可能有助于此类尸体的定位。
