Geoforensics and Information Management for crime Investigation (GIMI)

Project Staff - Jennifer McKinley

Dr Jennifer McKinley

Lecturer in GIS

Room 1.02
School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast BT7 1NN
Northern Ireland, UK

Tel: +44 (0)2890 973827
Fax: +44 (0)2890 321280
Email: j.mckinley@qub.ac.uk

Current research activities

As a lecturer in GIS in the School of Geography, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, my research interests comprise the analysis of spatial data through geographical information systems (GIS) and geostatistics. Research topics in these areas include spatial variability and uncertainty in geographical information and the use of scaling techniques to integrate spatial information from different sampling supports. Specific areas of research focus on spatial analysis and modelling in weathering, geomorphological and environmental studies.

Work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Forensic Service of Northern Ireland has included advice and involvement in association with colleagues on several major murder enquiries in Northern Ireland. Ongoing contribution to forensic investigations includes the use of X-ray diffraction, thin section petrographic analysis of materials and the spatial analysis of evidence at several murder scenes and in the search for missing persons.

Recent Publications

McKinley, J.M. and Ruffell, A. accepted. Contemporaneous Spatial Sampling at a Scene of Crime: Advantages and Disadvantages. Forensic Science International.

McKinley, J.M. and Warke, P.A. in press. Controls on permeability: Implications for stone weathering. Geological Society Special Publication.

McKinley, J.M., Warke, P.A., Lloyd, C.D., Ruffell, A.H. and Smith, B.J.  2006. Geostatistical analysis in weathering studies: case study of Stanton Moor building sandstone. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 31, 950-969.

Warke, P.A., McKinley, J.M. and Smith, B.J. 2006. Variability of weathering response in sandstone: factors controlling decay pathways. Earth Surface processes and landforms, 31, 715-735.

Ruffell, A., McKinley, J.M., Lloyd, C.D. and Graham, C. 2005. Th/K and Th/U ratio mapping of spectral gamma-ray data improves spatial resolution of subsurface shoreline structures. Journal of Environmental Geophysics, 14, 56-60.

Ruffell, A. and McKinley, J.M. (2005). Forensic Geology & Geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations. Earth Science Reviews, 69.

McKinley, J.M., Lloyd C.D. and Ruffell A.H. (2004) Use of variography in permeability characterisation of visually homogeneous sandstone reservoirs with examples from outcrop studies. Mathematical Geology, vol.36, no. 7, 761-779.

Warke, P.A., Smith, B.J. and McKinley, J.M. (2004) Complex weathering effects on durability characteristics of building sandstone. In: (Prikryl, R. ed.) Dimension Stone 2004. Taylor and Francis, London, 229-235.

Ruffell, A., Evans, R. and McKinley, J.M. 2004. Distinguishing faults from flooding surfaces on spectral gamma-ray logs. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, vol. 88, no. 9, 1239-1254.

McKinley, J.M., Worden, R.H. & Ruffell, A.H. 2002. Smectite in sandstones: a review of the controls on occurrence and behaviour during diagenesis. In: Worden, R.H. and Morad, S. (Eds.) Clay mineral cements in Sandstone. International Association of Sedimentologists, Special Publication, 34, 109-128.

Ruffell, A. McKinley, J.M. and Worden, R.H. (2002). Comparison of clay mineral stratigraphy to other proxy palaeoclimate indicators in the Mesozoic of NW Europe. Transactions of the Royal Society, London, B360, 675-693.

McKinley, J.M., Ruffell, A., Worden, R.H. & Evans, R. (2002). Heterogeneity of rock properties (permeability, porosity, gamma-ray) and mineral cements in the Mullaghmore Formation: NW Carboniferous Basin. Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 21, 94.

Ruffell, A., McKinley, J., Evans, R., Middleton, D., Parnell, J. and Ketzer, M. (2002). The North-West Carboniferous Gas Basin: outcrop to subsurface correlation and reservoir quality. Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 21, 100.

McKinley, J.M., Worden, R.H. and Ruffell, A.H. (2001). Contact Diagenesis: the effect of an intrusion on reservoir quality in the Triassic Sherwood Group, N. Ireland. Journal of Sedimentary Research 71(3), 484-495.

McKinley, J.M., Curran, J.M. and Turkington, A.V. (2001). Gypsum formation in non-calcareous building sandstone: a case study of Scrabo Sandstone. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 26, 869-875.