SCIENTIFIC METHOD FOR DETERMINING POINT OF ORIGIN IN ARSON INVESTIGATION

• NCJ Number: 32819
• Author(s): Q Y Kwan
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 69 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-71-083-GF-6
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY - MASTER'S DISSERTATION

Annotation

A COMPUTER-AIDED METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVELY DETERMINING THE POINT OF ORIGIN AND FOR ASCERTAINING THE TIME OF IGNITION OF A FIRE.

Abstract

THE METHOD OF SOLUTION RELIES ON A COMPUTER PROGRAM WHICH REGRESSIVELY CONSTRUCTS THE LOCATION OF THE PREVIOUS FIRE PERIMETER WHICH OCCURRED AN ARBITRARILY CHOSEN TIME UNIT PRIOR TO THE ONE OBSERVED. THIS PROCEDURE IS REPEATED OBTAINING A SERIES OF CONCENTRIC BURN PERIMETERS. THE PROGRAM TERMINATES WHEN THE BURN PERIMETER CONVERGES TO A SUITABLE WORKING AREA FOR THE INVESTIGATOR. FUTURE ADVANCEMENTS CAN BE MADE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HETEROGENEOUS AND TIME-VARYING CONDITIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)