title: Crime scene investigations using portable, non-destructive space exploration technology.
abstract: The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASAs) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have teamed up to explore the use of NASA developed technologies to help criminal justice agencies and professionals solve crimes. The objective of the program is to produce instruments and communication networks that have application within both NASA's space program and NIJ programs with state and local forensic laboratories. A working group of NASA scientists and law enforcement professionals has been established to develop and implement a feasibility demonstration program. Specifically, the group has focused its efforts on identifying gunpowder and primer residue, blood, and semen at crime scenes. Non-destructive elemental composition identification methods are carried out using portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) systems. These systems are similar to those being developed for planetary exploration programs. A breadboard model of a portable XRF system has been constructed for these tests using room temperature silicon and cadmium-zinc telluride (CZT) detectors. Preliminary tests have been completed with gunshot residue (GSR), blood-spatter and semen samples. Many of the element composition lines have been identified. Studies to determine the minimum detectable limits needed for the analyses of GSR, blood and semen in the crime scene environment have been initiated and preliminary results obtained. Furthermore, a database made up of the inorganic composition of GSR is being developed. Using data obtained from the open literature of the elemental composition of barium (Ba) and antimony (Sb) in handswipes of GSR, we believe that there may be a unique GSR signature based on the Sb to Ba ratio.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Building 2, Room S105, Code 691, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. u1jit@lepvax.gsfc.nasa.gov
authors.forename: Jacob I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Trombka
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selavka
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gahn
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Floyd
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marie
authors.forename: Maritza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeosky
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McClannahan
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Elyse
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gottschang
mesh_terms: D000965:Antimony / Q000032:analysis; D001464:Barium / Q000032:analysis; D001801:Blood Stains; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D004867:Equipment Design; D005389:Firearms; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D018557:United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
chemical_list: D001464:Barium; D007854:Lead; D000965:Antimony