Description
Physics and pattern interpretation refers to a collection of forensic disciplines where the evidence is generated through physical processes. This can range from fingerprints to footwear impressions, striations from a firearm on a bullet, to bloodstains on a surface. Examination of this evidence involves classification or comparison of the spatial arrangement of physical features. The disciplines under physics and pattern interpretation include:
- Firearms and toolmarks
- Friction ridge (e.g., fingerprints)
- Footwear
- Tire tread
- Bloodstain pattern
- Questioned documents
Review a presentation on NIJ's firearms and toolmarks research and development portfolio.
On this page, find links to articles, awards, events, publications, and multimedia related to physics and pattern interpretation
Awards
Publications and Grant Reports
- The fluid dynamics of droplet impacts on inclined surfaces with application to forensic blood-spatter analysis
- Quantifying the strength of palmprint comparisons: Majority identifications with surprisingly low value
- Development and evaluation of methods for objective comparison of x-ray fluorescence spectra