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Abstract Croft, D.J. and Pye, K. (2004). Colour theory and the evaluation of an instrumental method of measurement using geological samples for forensic applications. In: Pye, K. and Croft, D. (Eds.) Forensic Geoscience - Principles, Techniques and Applications. Geological Society Special Publication No. 232, Geological Society Publishing House, Bath, pp. 49-62. Colour is a fundamental characteristic of many materials, including soils and sediments, and has been much used in geological, pedological and Quaternary science research. Traditionally, colour has been described qualitatively by visual comparison with standard charts, such as the Munsell Soil Color Charts or the Geological Society of America Rock Color Chart. Instrumental colour determination has been developed and used in industry for a variety of applications, including quality testing of paints, dyes and foodstuffs. In this paper, colour theory is outlined, and the Minolta® CM-2002® hand-held spectrophotometer is tested on geological samples to investigate reproducibility, discriminatory power, and accuracy in analysis. Standard methods for calibration, presentation and testing of a variety of (often small) samples have been developed. Examples are provided for the use of the method in forensic geoscience casework. Contact us to obtain a reprint of this paper |
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