Elisa Bergslien 
An Introduction to Forensic Geoscience 

An Introduction to Forensic Geoscience provides fundamental training in geoscience as developed through the lens of its forensic applications. It incorporates a range of topics including geophysical methods of grave detection, the mineralogy of art, identification of microfossils, and comparison of soil trace evidence samples. Each topic is introduced using core concepts that are developed with increasing complexity in order to give readers an understanding of the underlying scientific principles involved and a taste of the wide range of possible forensic uses. A variety of detailed reference tables have been compiled for the text and each chapter contains lists of references to applicable textbooks and journal articles. Examples of real criminal cases are also presented in each chapter to make the connections between theory and real world application. The goal of this book is to give readers a familiarity with the wide range of ways in which geoscience principles and geological materials can be utilized forensically.

Additional resources for this book can be found at: http://www.wiley.com/go/bergslien/forensicgeoscience.

Inhoudsopgave

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1. A Brief, Selective History of Forensic Science with an Emphasis on Geoscience

Chapter 2. Minerals: The Basic Building Blocks of Geology

Chapter 3. Rocks: The Story Books of the Earth

Chapter 4. Maps: Getting a Sense of Place

Chapter 5. Sand: To See the World in a Grain of Sand

Chapter 6. Gems and Gemstones: Those Most Precious of All Minerals

Chapter 7. Soils: Getting the Dirt on Crime

Chapter 8. The Geology of Art

Chapter 9. Fossils and Microfossils: Traces of Life

Chapter 10. Geology and People: Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Archaeology

Chapter 11. Environmental Forensics: Tracking Pollution to its Source

Index

Over de auteur

Elisa Bergslien is an Associate Professor at Buffalo State College. With a background in contaminant hydrogeology, she has been involved with the environmental law aspects of geology for years. In 2005, she begin teaching a Forensic Geoscience course as an elective for a well established Forensic Chemistry program and has been involved in research developing the science behind many of the assumptions used in forensic trace evidence examination. She is currently serving as the Information Officer for the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) Initiative on Forensic Geology.