Crater Glass
Definition
Glass fragments recovered from within or immediately adjacent to the blast crater, originating from the device container or adjacent glazing; distinguished by small size, thermal remelting signatures, and proximity to the seat.
- Origin
- Device container or adjacent glazing
- Location found
- Within or immediately adjacent to blast crater
- Key trait
- Small fragment size
- Diagnostic sign
- Thermal remelting signatures
Common questions
How does crater glass differ from ordinary shattered window glass at a blast scene?+
Crater glass sits closest to the seat of explosion and shows thermal remelting from the detonation, whereas glass further out is fractured by blast overpressure alone and lacks that heat signature.
Why does proximity to the seat matter when collecting crater glass?+
Distance from the seat correlates with the mechanism of damage, so fragments near the crater are prioritised for identifying the device container material and any explosive residue that survived detonation.
Related terms
- Expanding Concentric Search Grid
- The systematic spatial framework for post-blast scene searches, consisting of concentric rings at measured radii from the seat of blast, divided into...
- Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS)
- A field-deployable analytical technique that separates ions by their mobility in an electric field at atmospheric pressure. Used for trace explosive detection...
- JESIP
- Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (UK); the framework mandating co-located multi-agency command with a shared decision log from initial response, applied to...
- Paint Transfer Analysis
- Forensic comparison of paint layer sequences (primer, base coat, lacquer) on near-field surfaces against reference samples to identify the vehicle or container...
- Render-Safe Procedure
- The action taken by a qualified EOD or bomb disposal team to make a blast scene or live device safe from secondary...
- Scene Log
- The contemporaneous record of every person entering and exiting the inner cordon, with time stamps and roles; the foundational chain-of-custody document for...
- Seat of Blast
- The precise point of initiation of the detonation, identified from the convergence of crater geometry, witness-mark vectors, damage gradient, and residue concentration.
- Sieve Recovery
- The process of collecting and dry- or wet-sieving soil and debris from the crater and innermost grid zone through 2 mm and...
- Witness Mark
- A fragment embedded in a structural surface (wall, column, vehicle panel) at a known position and angle, providing a directional vector back...