@article{WeiserErdmannSchenkletal.2018, author = {Weiser, Martin and Erdmann, Bodo and Schenkl, Sebastian and Muggenthaler, Holger and Hubig, Michael and Mall, Gita and Zachow, Stefan}, title = {Uncertainty in Temperature-Based Determination of Time of Death}, volume = {54}, journal = {Heat and Mass Transfer}, number = {9}, publisher = {Springer}, doi = {10.1007/s00231-018-2324-4}, pages = {2815 -- 2826}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Temperature-based estimation of time of death (ToD) can be per- formed either with the help of simple phenomenological models of corpse cooling or with detailed mechanistic (thermodynamic) heat transfer mod- els. The latter are much more complex, but allow a higher accuracy of ToD estimation as in principle all relevant cooling mechanisms can be taken into account. The potentially higher accuracy depends on the accuracy of tissue and environmental parameters as well as on the geometric resolution. We in- vestigate the impact of parameter variations and geometry representation on the estimated ToD based on a highly detailed 3D corpse model, that has been segmented and geometrically reconstructed from a computed to- mography (CT) data set, differentiating various organs and tissue types.}, language = {en} } @article{SubramaniamHubigSchenkletal.2026, author = {Subramaniam, Jayant Shanmugam and Hubig, Michael and Schenkl, Sebastian and Muggenthaler, Holger and Springer, Steffen and Weiser, Martin and Sudau, Jakob and Shah, Faisal and Mall, Gita}, title = {Reconstructing sudden ambient temperature changes for forensic death time estimation using temperatures in two closed compartments: Proof of concept}, journal = {International Journal of Legal Medicine}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Ambient temperature TA has a strong impact on temperature-based time since death estimation (TTDE). Frequently TA is lowered instantaneously at some time t0 from a previous value TA0 to TA1 < TA0 by, e.g., opening a window or a door. We aim at reconstructing TA0 and t0. TTDE literature suggests temperature measurements in closed compartments such as cupboards or neighboring rooms, where TA0 could have been 'preserved' after t0. We aim to estimate t0 and TA0 from temperature measurements TZ(t) in closed compartments Z at times t > t0. We obtain promising results assuming Newtonian cooling for boxes filled with air, heaps of clothes, or books in two different experimental scenarios. Two different parameter estimators, (TA0^, t0^) based on four temperature measurements and (TA0*, t0*) for 4N measurements were tested. Our results in a climate chamber were partially appropriate for TTDE input. A decline at time t0 from TA0 = 22.5°C ↓ TA1 = 14°C was reconstructed at t = t0 + 95min with relative deviations ρt0^ = 27\% and ρTA0^ = 19\% relative to t - t0 and TA0 - TA1 respectively, for N = 1 with span Δt = 50min. For N = 200 in a time interval [t0 + 95min, t0 + 295min] we found ρt0^ = 5\% and ρTA0^ = 11\% with the same Δt. Further research is necessary to guarantee applicability in routine casework, in particular with respect to more elaborate cooling models, estimation algorithms, and evaluation localization.}, language = {en} } @article{SchenklMuggenthalerHubigetal.2017, author = {Schenkl, Sebastian and Muggenthaler, Holger and Hubig, Michael and Erdmann, Bodo and Weiser, Martin and Zachow, Stefan and Heinrich, Andreas and G{\"u}ttler, Felix Victor and Teichgr{\"a}ber, Ulf and Mall, Gita}, title = {Automatic CT-based finite element model generation for temperature-based death time estimation: feasibility study and sensitivity analysis}, volume = {131}, journal = {International Journal of Legal Medicine}, number = {3}, doi = {doi:10.1007/s00414-016-1523-0}, pages = {699 -- 712}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Temperature based death time estimation is based either on simple phenomenological models of corpse cooling or on detailed physical heat transfer models. The latter are much more complex, but allow a higher accuracy of death time estimation as in principle all relevant cooling mechanisms can be taken into account. Here, a complete work flow for finite element based cooling simulation models is presented. The following steps are demonstrated on CT-phantoms: • CT-scan • Segmentation of the CT images for thermodynamically relevant features of individual geometries • Conversion of the segmentation result into a Finite Element (FE) simulation model • Computation of the model cooling curve • Calculation of the cooling time For the first time in FE-based cooling time estimation the steps from the CT image over segmentation to FE model generation are semi-automatically performed. The cooling time calculation results are compared to cooling measurements performed on the phantoms under controlled conditions. In this context, the method is validated using different CTphantoms. Some of the CT phantoms thermodynamic material parameters had to be experimentally determined via independent experiments. Moreover the impact of geometry and material parameter uncertainties on the estimated cooling time is investigated by a sensitivity analysis.}, language = {en} }