Forensic Archaeology: Geophysical Survey and Stratigraphic Principles

This mock covers the geophysical and stratigraphic toolkit that forensic archaeologists use to locate, characterise, and record buried evidence without disturbing the ground unnecessarily. It ranges from airborne LiDAR and bare-earth terrain models through ground-level remote sensing with GPR and magnetometry to the stratigraphic recording frameworks that convert physical layers into admissible evidence. Statutory references to PACE 1984 in England and Wales are examined alongside the technical principles.

This mock is designed for students, MSc and BSc learners, and practitioners of Forensic Archaeology who need to integrate geophysical survey methods with the legal and stratigraphic requirements of forensic casework. It is equally relevant to those preparing for postgraduate-entry programmes or continuing professional development in forensic search and recovery.

Topics covered:

• LiDAR point-cloud processing and bare-earth terrain modelling
• Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry as a complement to LiDAR
• Canine Human Remains Detection: olfaction, training limits, and deployment
• Systematic probing and tile-probe methodology
• Ground-penetrating radar signal physics, antenna selection, and hyperbola interpretation
• Fluxgate gradiometry and earth-resistance survey principles
• Geophysical data processing: dewow, background subtraction, and spatial filtering
• Harris Matrix construction and stratigraphic sequence analysis

Questions examine the reasoning that distinguishes closely related survey methods and the parameters that determine which technique applies to a given soil type, target depth, or evidential question. Allow 30 minutes.