Crime scene investigations using portable, non-destructive space exploration technology

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Space Technology Transfer

Background:

• Collaboration between the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
• Focus on leveraging NASA-developed technologies for criminal justice applications.
• Establishment of a joint working group comprising NASA scientists and law enforcement professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of NASA technologies in crime scene investigations.
• To develop instruments and communication networks applicable to both space programs and forensic laboratories.
• To identify key forensic evidence, including gunpowder residue, blood, and semen, using advanced analytical methods.

Main Methods:

• Utilized portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) systems, similar to those for planetary exploration, for non-destructive elemental analysis.
• Employed room temperature silicon and cadmium-zinc telluride (CZT) detectors in a breadboard XRF system.
• Conducted preliminary tests on gunshot residue (GSR), blood-spatter, and semen samples.

Main Results:

• Successfully identified numerous elemental composition lines in forensic samples.
• Initiated studies to determine minimum detectable limits for GSR, blood, and semen analysis in crime scene conditions.
• Began developing an inorganic composition database for GSR, with preliminary findings suggesting a unique Sb to Ba ratio signature.

Conclusions:

• Portable XRF technology shows promise for identifying critical forensic evidence at crime scenes.
• The development of a GSR inorganic composition database, particularly the Sb to Ba ratio, may offer a unique forensic signature.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration can accelerate technological advancements in both space exploration and criminal justice.