FORENSIC INSTRUMENTATION

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR or GROUND PROBING RADAR

Georadar, often known as ground penetrating

radar (gpr), is a geophysical measurement device that
enables the examination of the shallow subsurface. A
ground-penetrating radar is an instrument with a
transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna that can
broadcast and receive electromagnetic waves at specific
frequencies. It is used to detect electromagnetic contrasts
in the soil.

In the field of Forensics, this can

make mass graves easier to find. In
order to detect the existence of
bodies and other evidence, ground-
penetrating radar shoots radar waves
into the earth. It may also detect the
boundaries of graves.

PARTS

Modern GPR instrument can be run with a

variety of power supplies ranging from
small rechargeable batteries to vehicle
batteries and normal 110/220-volt.
Connectors and adapters are available for
each power source type.

A GPR system is made up of three main

components:
 Control unit
 Antenna
 Power Supply

GPR Control Unit

The electronics that cause the antenna to
transmit a pulse of radar energy into the ground are
housed in the control unit. Additionally, it contains
an internal computer, hard drive, and solid state
memory for storing data for analysis after
fieldwork.

GPR Antenna
 The antenna receives the electrical pulse produced by the control unit, amplifies it
and transmits it into the ground or other medium at a particular frequency.
How does ground-penetrating radar work?

GPR works by delivering a very small

energy pulse into a substance and measuring the
power and the amount of time it takes for any
reflected signals to return. A scan is defined as a
sequence of pulses over a specific area. When
an energy pulse enters a material that differs
from the material it left in terms of electrical
conductivity or dielectric permittivity,
reflections are produced. The contrast between
the two materials' dielectric constants and
conductivities determines the strength, or
amplitude, of the reflection.

While a portion of the energy pulse from the GPR is reflected back to the antenna,
energy also continues to pass through the material until it either dissipates (attenuates) or the
GPR control unit closes its time window. The characteristics of the material through which
the pulse is travelling affect the rate of signal attenuation, which varies greatly.

High dielectric materials will slow the radar wave and limit how far it can travel.
High conductivity materials will quickly attenuate the signal. A survey area should be
carefully examined for signs of water penetration since water saturation significantly
increases a material's dielectric constant.

Materials made of metal are regarded as being a complete reflector and do not permit
any signal to pass through. A metal sheet, tiny metal mesh, or pan decking will obscure any
materials underneath.

The antenna does not emit electromagnetic

radiation in a straight path. It emits in the form of
a cone (picture on left). Energy at the cone's
leading edge travels farther in both directions than
energy that is placed just beneath the antenna.
This is so because the hypotenuse of a right
triangle is represented by the cone's leading edge.

Data Processing
Parallel transects are used to collect data, which is then combined in the right areas
for computer processing in a specialist software program, such as GSSI's RADAN, which
generates a horizontal surface at a specific depth in the record. Operators can interpret a
planview of the survey region using this technique, known as a depth slice.