Forensic- Blood spatter terminology

Angle of impact

the angle formed between the path of a blood drop and the surface that it contacts

Area of convergence

the area on a two-dimensional plane where lines traced through the long axis of several individual bloodstains meet; this approximates the two -dimensional place from which the bloodstains were projected

Area of origin

the location in three-dimensional space from which blood that produced a bloodstain originated.  The location of the area of convergence and the angle of impac t for each bloodstain is used to approximate this area.

Back spatter

a bloodstain resulting from an airborne blood drop created when external force is applied to liquid blood

Cast-off

a bloodstain pattern that is created when blood is flung from a blood-bearing object n motion onto a surface.

Drip trail pattern

a bloodstain pattern resulting from the movement of a source of drip stains between two points.

Expiration blood pattern

a bloodstain pattern resulting from blood forced by airflow out of the nose, mouth, or a wound.

Flow patterns

a bloodstain resulting from the movement of a volume of blood on a surface due to gravity or movement of the target

Forward spatter

a bloodstain pattern resulting from blood drops that can be produced when a projectile creates an exit wound

Impact spatter

a bloodstain pattern resulting from an object striking liquid blood

Projected pattern

a bloodstain pattern resulting from the ejection of blood under hydraulic pressure, typically from a breach in the circulatory system

Satellite spatter

small, secondary blood droplets that detach from the main blood droplet (the "parent drop") when it impacts a surface, appearing as smaller stains around the perimeter of the larger stain

Satellite stain

a smaller bloodstain originated during the formation of the parent stain as a result of blood impacting a surface

Skeletonization

the final stage where soft tissues decay or dry, leaving behind only the skeletal remains

Transfer pattern

a bloodstain resulting from contact between a blood-bearing surface and another surface

Void

an absence of blood in an otherwise continuous bloodstain or bloodstain pattern