- Algor mortis
Algor mortis (
Latin : "algor"—coolness; "mortis"—of death) is the reduction in body temperature followingdeath . This is generally a steady decline until matching ambient temperature, although external factors can have a significant influence.A measured rectal temperature can give some indication of the time of death. Although the
heat conduction which leads to body cooling follows anexponential decay curve, it can be approximated as a linear process: 2°Celsius during the first hour and 1° Celsius per hour until the body nears ambient temperature.The Glaister equation [http://www.arrakis.es/~jacoello/date.pdf] , for example, is "(98.4° F − rectal temperature) / 1.5", giving hours elapsed since death.
As decomposition occurs the internal body temperature tends to rise again.
External links
* [http://www.arrakis.es/~jacoello/date.pdf Standards Employed to Determine Time of Death]
General references:
* cite book
first=Richard
last=Saferstein
year=2004
title=Criminalistics An Introduction to Forensic Science
edition=8th
publisher=Pearson Prentice Hall
id=ISBN 0-13-113706-9
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