Scent Cone
Definition
The plume of airborne VOC molecules that diffuses upward and downwind from a buried source. A dog working downwind of a buried deposit will enter the scent cone before reaching directly above the source, which is why wind direction governs the working direction of a canine search.
- Definition
- Airborne VOC plume from a buried source
- Direction
- Diffuses upward and downwind
- Governs
- Canine search working direction
- Applied to
- Buried human remains detection
Common questions
Why does wind direction determine how a search dog is worked?+
A dog approaching from downwind will intercept the drifting scent plume before reaching the point directly above the buried source, so handlers deliberately work dogs across and into the wind to locate the plume efficiently rather than walking a fixed grid regardless of conditions.
Does the scent cone behave the same way indoors as outdoors?+
No, indoor air currents are driven by ventilation, doors, and temperature gradients rather than wind, so the shape and predictability of the scent cone differs and handlers adjust their search pattern accordingly.
Related terms
- HRD Dog
- Human Remains Detection dog: a dog trained to detect and alert on the volatile organic compound signature of decomposing human tissue. Also...
- Passive Alert
- A trained response in which the dog sits, lies down, or freezes at the scent source without digging or pawing. Preferred in...
- Search Pattern
- The systematic geometric route walked by a dog handler to ensure uniform coverage of the search area. Standard patterns include the ladder...
- Tile Probe
- A solid steel rod used to probe suspect ground by hand pressure, detecting resistance changes in disturbed soil and releasing sub-surface gases...
- VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)
- Carbon-containing compounds that evaporate readily at ambient temperatures. Decomposing human tissue produces a complex, changing VOC mixture that HRD dogs are trained...