Search prefilters to assist in library searching of infrared spectra of automotive clear coats

•Make and model of automobile is identified from IR spectrum of clear coat paint smear.•Wavelet transformed IR spectra proved to be the most informative.•IR search prefilters for make and model were developed using PC plots.•Genetic algorithm was used to identify informative wavelet coefficients.

Clear coat searches of the infrared (IR) spectral library of the paint data query (PDQ) forensic database often generate an unusable number of hits that span multiple manufacturers, assembly plants, and years. To improve the accuracy of the hit list, pattern recognition methods have been used to develop search prefilters (i.e., principal component models) that differentiate between similar but non-identical IR spectra of clear coats on the basis of manufacturer (e.g., General Motors, Ford, Chrysler) or assembly plant. A two step procedure to develop these search prefilters was employed. First, the discrete wavelet transform was used to decompose each IR spectrum into wavelet coefficients to enhance subtle but significant features in the spectral data. Second, a genetic algorithm for IR spectral pattern recognition was employed to identify wavelet coefficients characteristic of the manufacturer or assembly plant of the vehicle. Even in challenging trials where the paint samples evaluated were all from the same manufacturer (General Motors) within a limited production year range (2000–2006), the respective assembly plant of the vehicle was correctly identified. Search prefilters to identify assembly plants were successfully validated using 10 blind samples provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as part of a study to populate PDQ to current production years, whereas the search prefilter to discriminate among automobile manufacturers was successfully validated using IR spectra obtained directly from the PDQ database.

Graphical abstractIdentifying a motor vehicle from microscopic paint chips left at the crime sceneFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide