BALLISTICS
The animal kingdom is full of examples of creatures that are physically superior to human beings in every way. The general argument as to why humankind is still the ruling species on Earth, is our far higher intelligence quotient (IQ). But there is 1 physical attribute in which human beings beat animals & birds hands-down: the ability to throw things faster & farther than any other living thing in the world. In the millennia since throwing things at chosen targets became everything from a way to understand natural phenomena to an act of war, ballistics has been a driving force in numerous fields ranging from sports events to space exploration.
Ballistics, as an area of study, consists of 1 main field & 4 sub-fields, the definitions of which are as follows (courtesy The Free Dictionary www.thefreedictionary.com):
Ballistics:-
“The study of the flight dynamics of projectiles, either through the interaction of the forces of propulsion, the aerodynamics of the projectile, atmospheric resistance, and gravity (exterior ballistics), or through these forces along with the means of propulsion, and the design of the propelling weapon and projectile (interior ballistics).”
Internal Ballistics:-
“Internal ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of a projectile’s motion from the time its propellant’s igniter is initiated until it exits the gun barrel. The study of internal ballistics is important to designers and users of firearms of all types, from small-bore Olympic rifles and pistols, to high-tech artillery.”
Transitional Ballistics:-
“Transitional ballistics, also known as intermediate ballistics, is the study of a projectile’s behavior from the time it leaves the muzzle until the pressure behind the projectile is equalized, so it lies between internal ballistics and external ballistics.”
External Ballistics:-
“External ballistics is the part of the science of ballistics that deals with the behaviour of a non-powered projectile in flight. External ballistics is frequently associated with firearms, and deals with the behaviour of the bullet after it exits the barrel and before it hits the target, so it lies between transitional ballistics and terminal ballistics.”
Terminal Ballistics:-
“Terminal ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of the behavior of a projectile when it hits its target. It is often referred to as stopping power when dealing with human or other living targets. Terminal ballistics is relevant both for small calibre projectiles as well as for large calibre projectiles (fired from artillery). The study of extremely high velocity impacts is still very new and is as yet mostly applied to spacecraft design.”
RESIDUAL EFFECTS
Forensic ballistics (i.e. ballistics information that is considered acceptable legal evidence) is the most well-known application of ballistics; because the greatest demand for ballistics knowledge is in the misuse of different forms of weaponry. While some criminals are still careless enough to actually leave bullets (or bomb casings, etc.) at the scene of a crime, the majority are clever enough to clear away the physical evidence of their crime before the authorities arrive. Therefore, detectives & investigators are compelled to look for the changes that the use of any given weapon has left on the victim or (more popularly) on the surrounding environment. These range from powder burns on the victim to chemical residues on the surfaces in the immediate vicinity. The environmental clues are not necessarily identified immediately; sometimes they can be identified & studied after a period of time. A couple of illustrations are as follows:
Trinitrotoluene (TNT)
TNT is a chemical that has applications as a chemical reagent, but its most popular use is as a conveniently-handled explosive material. According to studies recently conducted by the United Kingdom, it has been confirmed that plants tend to absorb TNT & retain it, even years after it has been removed from the surfaces of the location where it has been used. Therefore, if TNT were illegally utilized anywhere, the crime can be caught, as long as the plants that were growing there are either still there, or can be obtained if they have been removed.
Radiation
Ever since World War II, the use of nuclear weapons has been severely frowned upon. But wrong doesn’t mean rare. Therefore, it is very important to be able to identify clues that would indicate whether a specific bomb contained nuclear material or not. This depends on the half-life of the specific nuclear element used. Speaking of World War II, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima contained Uranium-235 (which has a half-life of 700,000,000 years) & that dropped on Nagasaki contained Plutonium-239 (which has a half-life of 24,000 years).
21st CENTURY ADJUSTMENTS & DEVELOPMENTS
But the afore-mentioned methods are no longer enough; they do address the requirements of some criminal investigations, but the invention & mass-marketing of new weapons means that the legal definition of a crime scene needs to be expanded & the field of crime scene investigation needs to be updated. There are 2 weapon categories in particular that have become a serious menace to peace & harmony during the last 10 to 15 years (depending on the nation in question): sonic & laser weapons.
Sonic Weapons & Particulate Matter
Given below is the official United States Environmental Protection Agency definition of “Particulate Matter”:-
“Particulate matter,” also known as particle pollution or PM, is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulphates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles.”
What happens when you vigorously shake a woolly sweater? If you do it long enough, you will eventually notice that the soft fuzz that makes the sweater extra thick & warm, is beginning to come off. Sonic weapons cause vibrations in the atmosphere; where ordinary sources of particulate matter pollution take years to create high levels of PM, sonic weapons will only take days. Reducing or eradicating PM pollution takes at least months (if not years). So, if a sonic weapon has been used even once during the last few weeks or months, a check on the PM levels in the environment will show it easily.
Lasers & Ozone
Given below is the definition of “Ozone” (courtesy The Free Dictionary www.thefreedictionary.com):
“An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen, O3, that is formed naturally in the ozone layer from atmospheric oxygen by electric discharge or exposure to ultraviolet radiation, also produced in the lower atmosphere by the photochemical reaction of certain pollutants. It is a highly reactive oxidizing agent used to deodorize air, purify water, and treat industrial wastes.”
Rising ozone concentrations in the lower atmosphere have attracted notice recently primarily because the locations in which this environmental threat has been detected do not face excessive exposure to the pollutants that have a detrimental effect on atmospheric ozone levels. A laser is a concentrated beam of electromagnetic radiation (including UV radiation). A little-known fact about laser is that its use (both past & present) can be deduced by a sudden surge in ozone levels in the immediate vicinity.
CONCLUSION
A few weeks ago, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was reported to have expressed concern over the slow pace of the preparations for the Paris Climate Conference. This proved with even greater clarity, how invested he is in a successful negotiation process. That is a very good sign because it raises the likelihood of the UN, UNEP & WHO giving due importance to the afore-mentioned developments during the talks.
Satisficing Profits 