A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations

Corcoran, Katie A.; Mundorff, Amy Z.; White, Devin A.; Emch, Whitney L.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038

Title: A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations

Abstract

Unmarked graves are difficult to locate once the ground surface no longer shows visible evidence of disturbance, posing significant challenges to missing person investigations. This research evaluates the use of terrestrial LIDAR point data for measuring localized elevation change at human grave surfaces. Three differently sized human graves, one control-pit, and surrounding undisturbed ground, were scanned four times between February 2013 and November 2014 using a tripod-mounted terrestrial laser scanner. All the disturbed surfaces exhibited measurable and localized elevation change, allowing for separation of disturbed and undisturbed ground. In conclusion, this study is the first to quantify elevation changes to human graves over time and demonstrates that terrestrial LIDAR may contribute to multi-modal data collection approach to improve unmarked grave detection.

Authors:

^[1]; Mundorff, Amy Z. ^[2];

^[3]; Emch, Whitney L. ^[4]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Springfield, VA (United States)

Publication Date:: Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1458373

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Forensic Science International

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 289; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0379-0738

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; Forensic archaeology; Remote sensing; LIDAR; Grave detection

Citation Formats


                    Corcoran, Katie A., Mundorff, Amy Z., White, Devin A., and Emch, Whitney L. A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038.

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                    Corcoran, Katie A., Mundorff, Amy Z., White, Devin A., & Emch, Whitney L. A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038

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                    Corcoran, Katie A., Mundorff, Amy Z., White, Devin A., and Emch, Whitney L. Wed .  
"A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1458373.

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@article{osti_1458373,

  title        = {A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations},

  author       = {Corcoran, Katie A. and Mundorff, Amy Z. and White, Devin A. and Emch, Whitney L.},

  abstractNote = {Unmarked graves are difficult to locate once the ground surface no longer shows visible evidence of disturbance, posing significant challenges to missing person investigations. This research evaluates the use of terrestrial LIDAR point data for measuring localized elevation change at human grave surfaces. Three differently sized human graves, one control-pit, and surrounding undisturbed ground, were scanned four times between February 2013 and November 2014 using a tripod-mounted terrestrial laser scanner. All the disturbed surfaces exhibited measurable and localized elevation change, allowing for separation of disturbed and undisturbed ground. In conclusion, this study is the first to quantify elevation changes to human graves over time and demonstrates that terrestrial LIDAR may contribute to multi-modal data collection approach to improve unmarked grave detection.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038},

  journal      = {Forensic Science International},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 289,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018},

  month        = {Wed Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2018}

}

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Journal Article:

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.038

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Cited by: 8 works

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Figure 1: The study area, adjacent to the William M. Bass Forensic Anthropology Building (west) and the Tennessee River (northeast) in Knoxville, TN. Image: Google Earth.

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Works referenced in this record:

Swinging the blue lamp: The forensic archaeology of contemporary child and animal burial in the UK
journal, May 2011

Davenport, Anna; Harrison, Karl
Mortality, Vol. 16, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1080/13576275.2011.560706

'Bones in the Forest' in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: Exhumations as a Tool for Transformation
journal, September 2014

Eppel, S.
International Journal of Transitional Justice, Vol. 8, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1093/ijtj/iju016

The Political, Social and Scientific Contexts of Archaeological Investigations of Mass Graves in Spain
journal, September 2008

Gassiot Ballbé, Ermengol; Steadman, Dawnie Wolfe
Archaeologies, Vol. 4, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1007/s11759-008-9081-9

Remote Sensing as a Tool for the Detection of Clandestine Mass Graves
journal, January 2006

Kalacska, M.; Bell, L. S.
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal, Vol. 39, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2006.10757132

The Application of Remote Sensing for Detecting Mass Graves: An Experimental Animal Case Study from Costa Rica*
journal, January 2009

Kalacska, Margaret E.; Bell, Lynne S.; Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa, G.
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 54, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00938.x

Detection of single graves by airborne hyperspectral imaging
journal, December 2014

Leblanc, G.; Kalacska, M.; Soffer, R.
Forensic Science International, Vol. 245
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Techniques for Locating Burials, with Emphasis on the Probe
journal, September 1995

Owsley, Douglas W.
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 40, Issue 5
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Why the forensic anthropologist needs the archaeologist
journal, March 2001

Owsley, Douglas W.
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The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials
journal, August 2015

Salsarola, Dominic; Poppa, Pasquale; Amadasi, Alberto
Forensic Science International, Vol. 253
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.06.006

Effects of hydrated lime and quicklime on the decay of buried human remains using pig cadavers as human body analogues
journal, April 2012

Schotsmans, Eline M. J.; Denton, John; Dekeirsschieter, Jessica
Forensic Science International, Vol. 217, Issue 1-3
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The missing in the aftermath of war: When do the needs of victims' families and international war crimes tribunals clash?
journal, December 2002

Stover, Eric; Shigekane, Rachel
Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge/International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 84, Issue 848
DOI: 10.1017/S1560775500104201

Where are the Bodies? In the Ground
journal, January 2010

Wright, Richard
The Public Historian, Vol. 32, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1525/tph.2010.32.1.96

Works referencing / citing this record:

Testing Application of Geographical Information Systems, Forensic Geomorphology and Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Investigate Clandestine Grave Sites in Colombia, South America
journal, August 2019

Molina, Carlos Martin; Wisniewski, Kristopher D.; Drake, Jonathan
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 65, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14168

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Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.

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Similar Records

Title: A novel application of terrestrial LIDAR to characterize elevation change at human grave surfaces in support of narrowing down possible unmarked grave locations

Abstract

Citation Formats

Figures / Tables:

Swinging the blue lamp: The forensic archaeology of contemporary child and animal burial in the UK journal, May 2011

'Bones in the Forest' in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: Exhumations as a Tool for Transformation journal, September 2014

The Political, Social and Scientific Contexts of Archaeological Investigations of Mass Graves in Spain journal, September 2008

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Techniques for Locating Burials, with Emphasis on the Probe journal, September 1995

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The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials journal, August 2015

Effects of hydrated lime and quicklime on the decay of buried human remains using pig cadavers as human body analogues journal, April 2012

The missing in the aftermath of war: When do the needs of victims' families and international war crimes tribunals clash? journal, December 2002

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Testing Application of Geographical Information Systems, Forensic Geomorphology and Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Investigate Clandestine Grave Sites in Colombia, South America journal, August 2019

Swinging the blue lamp: The forensic archaeology of contemporary child and animal burial in the UK
journal, May 2011

'Bones in the Forest' in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: Exhumations as a Tool for Transformation
journal, September 2014

The Political, Social and Scientific Contexts of Archaeological Investigations of Mass Graves in Spain
journal, September 2008

Remote Sensing as a Tool for the Detection of Clandestine Mass Graves
journal, January 2006

The Application of Remote Sensing for Detecting Mass Graves: An Experimental Animal Case Study from Costa Rica*
journal, January 2009

Detection of single graves by airborne hyperspectral imaging
journal, December 2014

Techniques for Locating Burials, with Emphasis on the Probe
journal, September 1995

Why the forensic anthropologist needs the archaeologist
journal, March 2001

The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials
journal, August 2015

Effects of hydrated lime and quicklime on the decay of buried human remains using pig cadavers as human body analogues
journal, April 2012

The missing in the aftermath of war: When do the needs of victims' families and international war crimes tribunals clash?
journal, December 2002

Where are the Bodies? In the Ground
journal, January 2010

Testing Application of Geographical Information Systems, Forensic Geomorphology and Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Investigate Clandestine Grave Sites in Colombia, South America
journal, August 2019