Forensic Investigation of Explosions

Dr. Alexander (Sandy) Beveridge is a consultant forensic chemist and lawyer in Vancouver, Canada. He is a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and had a 30-year career in the Forensic Science Service of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where he headed the chemistry section in the Vancouver laboratory for many years. Sandy conducts courses and workshops on forensic investigation of explosions from practical, scientific, and legal perspectives for investigators and at academic institutions.

"If there is a book for explosives investigations that I can recommend to anyone training in the field of explosives, then it is without a doubt Forensic Investigation of Explosions. The book not only accompanies the beginner through the history of explosives and explosives investigations, but serves as a great tool for seasoned investigators, scientists, and bomb technicians as the world of explosives investigations evolves."—Melanie Brochu, B.Sc. RCMP Forensic Specialist (Explosives), Ottawa, Ontario

• The History, Development, and Characteristics of Explosives and Propellants. Physics of Explosion Hazards. Detection of Hidden Explosives. General Protocols at the Scene of an Explosion. Recovery of Material from the Scene of an Explosion and its Subsequent Forensic Laboratory Examination a Team Approach. The Management of Casework within the United Kingdom Forensic Explosives Laboratory. Aircraft Explosive Sabotage Investigation. Evidence of Explosive Damage to Materials and Structures in Air Crash Investigations. Investigation of Gas Phase Explosions in Buildings. Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices. Investigation of Pipe Bombs. Improvised Explosives Characteristics, Detection, and Analysis. Quality and the Trace Detection and Identification of Organic High Explosives. Chromatography of Explosives. Analysis of Explosives by Mass Spectrometry. Analysis of Explosives by Infrared Spectrometry. Portable Explosive Detection Instruments. The Significance of Analytical Results in Explosives Investigation. Forensic Pathology of Explosive Injury. Presentation of Explosive Casework Evidence. Index.