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Forensic Geology (known also as Geoforensics or ForensicGeoscience) is the application of geology to criminalinvestigations. This includes both the knowledge base, such asunderstanding geomorphology in order to determine where a streamsystem may have deposited a transported object, and the analyticaltools of Earth Scientists, like employing the x-ray diffraction(XRD) systems commonly used for identification of powered mineralsto characterize a soil sample taken from a crime scene. Forensicgeologists may assist in criminal and civil investigations to helpdetermine what happened, where and when it occurred, or to helpsearch for graves, caches, or objects buried in the ground. In alaw enforcement context, forensic geology specialists typicallysupport the police in two broad fields: in characterization ofgeological (trace) evidence and in searches.
The goal of this project is to produce a volume that outlinesthe current state of the field and provides the reader withexamples of various applications through the use of case studiesand research reports - not rehashing generalizations butgiving examples of particular cases where geologic evidence wasfundamental - particularly to highlight applications that areless well known or to illustrate some kind of lesson or challengean assumption. Most of the existing books are either volumesgeared towards teaching or are compilations of conference papersthat typically lack a unifying theme and approach the topic in asomewhat scattershot fashion. The proposed volume would be morecomprehensive, outlining the types of approaches that are availableand where they may and may not be appropriate.