NCJ Number
14736
Journal
Criminologist Volume: 8 Issue: 30 Dated: (AUTUMN 1973) Pages: 21-38
Date Published
1973
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS AND DEMONSTRATES SOME OF THE LATEST TECHNIQUES THAT ILLUSTRATE AND/OR ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY PURE AND APPLIED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FINGERPRINTS.
Abstract
THE MACROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE PURE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PRINTS TESTED THE RESISTIVITY OF FINGERPRINT MATERIAL. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE SURFACE POTENTIAL OF FINGERPRINTS CAN BE MEASURED AND IT DECREASES OVER TIME. SURFACE POTENTIAL WAS USED TO DEVELOP LATENT PRINTS ON SILICONE POLISHED SURFACES. THE RIDGE STRUCTURES OF PRINTS WERE MEASURED IN THE MICROSCOPIC SECTION THROUGH THE USE OF AN INTERFERENCE MICROSCOPE AND AN INTERFEROMETER. THE HEIGHT OF THE RIDGE STRUCTURE WAS FOUND TO REDUCE OVER TIME. THE DIFFICULTY IN DEVELOPING PRINTS FROM SILICONE WAXED SURFACES IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE REDUCED SURFACE ENERGY OF THE SILICONE. THE SECTION ON THE APPLIED PHYSICS OF FINGERPRINTS REVEALS WHY ALUMINUM POWDER PARTICLES ADHERE TO PRINTS. FINALLY, A METHOD IS DISCUSSED THAT PERMITS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRINTS FROM CLOTH THROUGH THE EVAPORATION OF PRECIOUS METALS IN A VACUUM.