A Controlled Monitoring Study of Simulated Clandestine Graves Using 3D Ground Penetrating Radar

摘要

A controlled 3D GPR monitoring study of simulated clandestine graves w as conducted in conjunction with a taphonomical study that focused on the effect of environmental variables on the decomposition process. The test site is characterised by a clay-rich loam top soil and is located in a summer rainfall region. The combination of the soil type and heavy seasonal rains had a significant impact on the GPR detectability of the burial responses. Although the burial anomalies were clearly discernible in the early stages of monitoring (0-60 days), the above environmental variables rendered these anomalies as relatively challenging to detect during subsequent scans (90-180 day). The heavy, soaking rains in the 60 to 120 day interval resulted in an increased bulk ground conductivity, higher signal attenuation, noisier data, more rapid settling of the disturbed burial zone and consequently lower observed anomaly contrasts.