ABSTRACT
The recovery of human remains from an expedient grave or surface find is a time-consuming and exacting task. Rather than being confined within a grave, the body is left on the surface of the ground or loosely covered with soil, brush, or other items and allowed to decompose. Through skeletonization, animal predation, and other events, the body may become disarticulated and spread over a considerable area. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) allows an area to be scanned to detect differences in temperature that may identify human remains. The temperature of a body during decomposition is elevated above the ambient temperature and may be detected by FLIR or via a portable thermography unit. Cadaver dogs undergo highly specialized training. They differ from search-and-rescue dogs and bloodhounds in that they are trained to detect human body decomposition, not follow living human scents.
