Soil Forensics

Soil Forensics aims to provide a transdisciplinary overview of all relevant forensic fields which interact with the soil environment and Earth-system processes. This includes disciplines such as forensic archaeology, forensic taphonomy and anthropology, geophysics and remote sensing, forensic geology and soil science, forensic ecology, and environmental forensics. Volumes in the series are intended to stimulate multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches at the interface of forensics and the many sub-disciplines in Earth Sciences, Archaeology and others, such as traditional soil science, palynology, geochemistry, biogeochemistry, sedimentology, field archaeology, archaeological prospection, and taphonomy. The series will include investigation into:

• Human taphonomy and experimental decomposition studies
• Experimental standards development and validation
• Violation of the environment (chemical exposure, pollution, illegal mining)
• Search, detection, identification, and recovery of human remains in soil context
• New methods and techniques in soil forensics such as proteomics, magnetic surveys, electrical imaging techniques, and UAV-based spectroscopy and remote sensing
• Application of AI and Machine learning approaches to complex forensic issues
• 3D and 4D modelling, visualization, and spatial analyses (including the use of Geographical Information Systems)
• Stratigraphy, stratification and soil context
• Linking research-based knowledge to the community of action, with a focus on knowledge transfer and practice-informed research
• Degradation studies of organic and inorganic anthropogenic materials in soils.

The Soil Forensics Series was originally developed by the late Professor Henk Kars from the Institute of Geo- and Bioarchaeology at VU University Amsterdam. The current Series Editor and Editorial Board will continue to adhere to the inter-disciplinary interplay between the sciences and humanities that distinguished Professor Kars’ academic career.