Geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine graves using electrical and GPR methods: 0-3 years

This study provides forensic search teams with systematic geophysical monitoring data over simulated clandestine graves for comparison to active cases. Simulated ‘wrapped’ and ‘naked’ burials were created. Multi-geophysical surveys were collected over a three-year monitoring period. Bulk ground resistivity, Electrical Resistivity Imaging, multi-frequency Ground Penetrating Radar and grave ‘soil water’ conductivity data were collected. Resistivity surveys revealed the naked burial had consistently low-resistivity anomalies, whereas the wrapped burial had small, varying high-resistivity anomalies. GPR 110-900 MHz frequency surveys showed the wrapped burial could be detected throughout, with the ‘naked’ burial difficult to resolve after 18 months. 225 MHz frequency data was optimal. ‘Soil water’ analyses showed rapidly increasing (year one), slowly increasing (year two) and decreasing (year three) conductivity values. Results suggest resistivity and GPR surveys should