Analysis of Traces on Discharged Bullets by the Congruent Matching Profile Segments Method and k-Nearest Neighbors

Abstract

This paper discusses the problem of classifying images of land impressions on discharged bullets in terms of the “match” and “non-match” categories. The research is aimed at improving the effectiveness of comparing land impression images by the congruent matching profile segments (CMPS) method. The scientific novelty of the approach is in supplementing the analysis with an additional independent feature, as well as in using the k-nearest neighbors algorithm at the final stage of trace comparison. The research shows that the accuracy of classification of the compared pairs of land impression images by the combined method is approximately 87%. The analysis by the CMPS method makes it possible to effectively compare land impression images with high resolution (approximately 1 μm per pixel). The research is of interest to developers of automated ballistic identification systems.