ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW - FORENSIC PAINT ANALYSIS

The FBI and the Canadian Royal Mounted Police have collaborated on an ambitious project called PDQ-Paint Data Query. They have collected spectra on hundreds of thousands of samples of automotive paint, noting the VIN#, year, make and models. The idea is to be able to compare an unknown paint chip with their library and voila, a make and model of car to look for. This does work, and well, but it is a huge undertaking. Crime lab personnel must first be trained in the PDQ computer software. Then they must submit 60 samples of automotive paint each year to the FBI/RCMP in order to receive the updated spectra libraries. Then they must consider the enormous amount of different automobiles in North America without getting discouraged.

Note for accuracy: PDQ does not actually search using the spectra of a sample. The scientist must use the spectra to determine the components of the paint layers, and put that information in a text page. The actual computer search uses the text messages, not the picture of the spectra. Also, the bewildering assortment of colors available these days-poppy, mauve, teal-are reduced to six or seven terms: simply red, green, blue, gold, etc.

FTIR work is more fun than most lab work, so it wouldn't be odd to portray your minor character FTIR technician as a cheerful fellow-except on those days when the paint chip wants to stick to your roller, your tweezers, your fingers, everything except the salt window. Although he might not be so cheery when he encounters the new automotive paints that make a car appear yellow from one direction, and blue from another. Coming soon to a dealership near you.

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