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Plants to Remotely Detect Human Decomposition?

Holly Brabazon¹, Jennifer M DeBruyn², Scott C Lenaghan³

¹Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.

Trends in Plant Science

|September 7, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Spectral analysis of forest canopies may help locate missing persons. This remote sensing approach could guide the search for human decomposition sites, aiding in body recovery efforts.

Keywords:

canopies fluorescence forensic anthropology human decomposition remote sensing technology

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Forensic Science
Remote Sensing Technology

Background:

Approximately 100,000 individuals go missing annually in the USA.
Locating human decomposition sites, particularly in dense forest environments, presents significant challenges for recovery teams.
Effective methods for rapid identification of cadaver locations are crucial for missing persons investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the potential of using spectral responses from tree and shrub canopies as indicators for locating human decomposition sites.
To investigate the feasibility of employing remote sensing platforms for cadaver detection in forested areas.
To enhance societal benefit through improved body recovery processes.

Main Methods:

Analysis of spectral signatures within forest and shrub canopies.
Utilizing remote sensing data acquisition platforms.
Correlation of spectral data with the presence of human decomposition.

Main Results:

Preliminary findings suggest distinct spectral alterations in vegetation surrounding decomposition sites.
Remote sensing data can potentially detect these subtle canopy changes.
The spectral responses show promise as a non-invasive detection method.

Conclusions:

Spectral analysis of vegetation canopies offers a novel approach to guide cadaver detection in remote sensing.
This method holds potential for improving the efficiency and success rate of missing persons searches in challenging terrains.
Further research and development are warranted to refine this technique for practical forensic applications.