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Article
Prediction of blood back spatter from a gunshot in bloodstain pattern analysis
Physical Review Fluids
  • P. M. Comiskey, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • A. L. Yarin, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • S. Kim, Iowa State University
  • Daniel Attinger, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
8-1-2016
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevFluids.1.043201
Abstract

A theoretical model for predicting and interpreting blood-spatter patterns resulting from a gunshot wound is proposed. The physical process generating a backward spatter of blood is linked to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of blood accelerated toward the surrounding air, allowing the determination of the initial distribution of drop sizes and velocities. Then the motion of many drops in air is considered with governing equations accounting for gravity and air drag. Based on these equations, a numerical solution is obtained. It predicts the atomization process, the trajectories of the back-spatter drops of blood from the wound to the ground, the impact angle, and the impact Weber number on the ground, as well as the distribution and location of bloodstains and their shape and sizes. A parametric study is undertaken to predict patterns of backward blood spatter under realistic conditions corresponding to the experiments conducted in the present work. The results of the model are compared to the experimental data on back spatter generated by a gunshot impacting a blood-impregnated sponge.

Comments

This article is published as Comiskey, P. M., A. L. Yarin, S. Kim, and D. Attinger. "Prediction of blood back spatter from a gunshot in bloodstain pattern analysis." Physical Review Fluids 1, no. 4 (2016): 043201. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevFluids.1.043201. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner
American Physical Society
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
P. M. Comiskey, A. L. Yarin, S. Kim and Daniel Attinger. "Prediction of blood back spatter from a gunshot in bloodstain pattern analysis" Physical Review Fluids Vol. 1 Iss. 4 (2016) p. 043201
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daniel_attinger/21/