Skip to content

Congruent Matching Cells (CMC)

Definition

An objective, measurement-based metric for cartridge-case comparison developed at NIST, quantifying the fraction of surface topography cells showing high correlation between questioned and known items, complementing subjective visual comparison.

Related terms

AFTE Theory of Identification
The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners' standard (1992, revised 2011) for reporting tool-mark comparison conclusions as Identification, Inconclusive, or Elimination...
Class Characteristics
Features deliberately or systematically imparted to a group of items by design or manufacture, such as the calibre of a bullet, the...
CMO Design
Common Main Objective stereo microscope design using a single large objective with two off-axis optical channels passing through it. Allows better working...
Comparison Microscope
Two compound microscope bodies connected by an optical bridge that presents one half of each body's image in a single split eyepiece...
Greenough Design
A stereo microscope in which two completely independent objective lenses, tilted at the convergence angle, each with its own optical axis, form...
Individual Characteristics
Surface features on a fired bullet or cartridge case that arise from random or unique events (tool wear, corrosion, service damage) and...
Medullary Index
The ratio of the medulla diameter to the total hair shaft diameter. In companion animal hair identification, a medullary index above 0.5...
Optical Bridge
The beam-splitter and prism assembly that couples the two microscope bodies of a comparison microscope and produces the split-field composite image in...
Parfocal Stage
A microscope stage on which the specimen remains approximately in focus when switching between objectives, enabling rapid survey across magnification ranges without...
PCAST 2016
President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology 2016 report 'Forensic Science in Criminal Courts', which assessed foundational validity of forensic disciplines...
Stereo Microscope
A low-magnification microscope producing stereoscopic depth perception by presenting each eye with a slightly different viewing angle (convergence angle 10-15 degrees). Uses...

Explained in

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.