title: Oil-matching by using a simple vector model for fluorescence spectra.
abstract: A digitized fluorescence spectrum containing n points may be considered as a vector in n-dimensional space. This concept is used to develop a vector model employing angular distance in n-space as parameter for comparison of fluorescence spectra of weathered oil. The vector model is applied to the problem of forensic oil-identification, by comparing the spectra of oil-spill samples with the spectra of unweathered and laboratory-weathered oils through likely suspects. The vector representing the oil-spill spectrum is projected on the hyperlane formed by the spectra of the unweathered and corresponding laboratory-weathered oils to locate the vector which has the smallest angular deviation from the spill vector ("best fit").
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, U.S.A.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eastwood
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hendrick