OSAC Lexicon

The property of paper that prevents the transmission of light. (SWGDOC M03)

A type of verification in which the subsequent examiner knows the identity of the other examiner(s) and has access to their decisions, conclusions or observed data used to support their conclusion.

A designated search area for the purpose of conducting canine team exercises.

A letter formation such as the handwritten "a" or "o" in which the top has not been closed.

Utilizing a canine in a boat to locate the odor of human decomposition in a body of water.

When used in training, operant conditioning involves teaching an animal to perform a response in order to obtain a reward or avoid displeasure.

System software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs.

A test conducted (single- or double-blind) in an operational environment in which the canine team will be deployed or utilized.

A process that attests to the successful completion of an examination of relevant skills for the canine team to be deployed on operations.

A person's years of training and experience related to mission specific objectives.

Training conducted beyond the initial training of a discipline, designed to maintain a high level of competence or skill by ensuring the canine team's capability to perform desired tasks.

See mission requirements.

See deployment.

view, judgment, or belief that considers other information in addition to observations, data, calculations, and interpretations

Conclusion, judgment- a coherent, scientifically sound expression(s) that takes into consideration task-relevant information in addition to observations, data, calculations and interpretations.

examiner’s (3.20) judgement based on the interpretation (3.30) of observations (3.36)

Numbers in the parenthesis refers to additional terms in the standard.

Also referenced in ANSI/ASB 167 Standard for Reporting Results from Friction Ridge Examinations.

ordinally ranked predefined verbal expressions for different degrees of strength of opinion 

Note 1 to entry: See ISO 21043-4:2025, Annex B for examples of opinion scale.
 

the acute angle between two optic axes of a biaxial crystal.

a direction of isotropic light propagation in an anisotropic crystal. Uniaxial crystals have one optic axis; biaxial crystals have two optic axes.

determined by the relationship of the refractive indices of a material. For uniaxial crystals, if ε > ω, the crystal is positive (+); if ω > ε, the crystal is negative (-). For biaxial crystals, if γ-β > β-α, the crystal is positive (+); if γ-β < β-α, the crystal is negative (-).

Height of the surface at position (x, y).

A method of isolating DNA from cells involving phenol and other organic chemicals.

The general location where a fire or explosion began. (See Point of Origin, or Area of Origin.)

Typed text imprinted onto the surface of a record medium as the result of the impact of a typeface striking directly or through a ribbon. (SWGDOC E11)

The document or other substrate with the handwriting, machine, or other markings that caused indentation(s) on a document(s) or other substrate beneath it (the recipient document). (ANSI/ASB Std 044)

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees is part of an initiative by NIST and the Department of Justice to strengthen forensic science in the US. The organization is a collaborative body of more than 500 forensic science practicioners and other experts. NIST established OSAC to support the development and promulgation of forensic science consensus documentary standards and guidelines, and to ensure that a sufficient scientific basis exists for each discipline. See the OSAC website.

Technique that uses skeletal measurements and statistical models to objectively compare size and shape relationships between elements.

Ordinate values within a dataset that received an erroneous signal during the measurement and nolonger represent the real surface. These often appear as spikes in the dataset. Detection methodsinclude local slope and neighboring height thresholding.

Any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a conductor; it may result from an overload (see short circuit or ground fault).

A fire fighting term involving the process of final extinguishment after the main body of the fire has been knocked down. All traces of fire must be extinguished at this time.

Operation of equipment in excess of normal, full-load rating or of a conductor in excess of rated ampacity that, where it persists for a sufficient length of time, would cause damage or dangerous overheating. A fault, such as a short circuit or ground fault, is not an overload.

The removal of a typed character from the text by restriking with the same character while interposing a tape or sheet coated with an opaque coating material, thereby causing the imprinted character to be covered by the coating. (SWGDOC E11)

Type of extraneous or undesirable ink dot(s) near the printed zones which originate from the printhead.

person or organization responsible for the development and maintenance of a conformity assessment system (4.8) or conformity assessment scheme (4.9)
Note 1 to entry: A scheme owner does not necessarily operate the scheme (4.9).
Note 2 to entry: A system owner or a scheme owner can be a conformity assessment body (4.6) itself, a governmental authority, a trade association, a group of conformity assessment bodies or others.
 

A substance, not necessarily containing oxygen, that causes oxidation.

a substance capable of accepting electrons from a fuel in a redox chemical reaction.  DISCUSSION—Oxidizers (for example, atmospheric oxygen, nitrates, chlorates, peroxides) enable the initiation or increased intensity of a fire or explosion.

Insufficiency of oxygen to support combustion. (See also Ventilation-Controlled Fire)

The roof of the mouth separating the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. Canines have a bony hard palate and a soft tissue extension called the soft palate.