Detecting Buried Firearms Using Multiple Geophysical Technologies

The objective of this research project is to improve standard geophysical detection methods used to search for street-level firearms, commonly involved in crimes, that have been buried for the purposes of concealing or discarding them. This project will entail burying 16 different firearms that represent various weapon types (revolver, derringer, shotgun, semiautomatic rifle, and pistol) and using multiple geophysical technologies (GPR, metal detectors, a ground conductivity meter, and a magnetic locator) to detect the buried weapons at varying depths. This research will serve to address how the type of firearm and the metallic materials that comprise the weapons affect detection. This work will lead toward a device that can be used by Crime Scene Technicians and Medical/Legal Death investigators to search crime scenes for the presence of a firearm that may have been used in the incident.

ca/ncf