OSAC Lexicon

The lowest temperature at which a combustible material ignites in air without a spark or flame.

The Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) is the central Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-wide system for storage and processing of biometric and associated biographic information for national security; law enforcement; immigration and border management; intelligence; background investigations for national security positions and certain positions of public trust. The IDENT database is considered another one of the largest biometric databases.

Biometric computer system that allows forensic examiners to encode, digitize, and search recovered fingerprint impressions against fingerprint record databases for identification purposes.

The process or technology which accepts speech as input and determines what wasspoken.

Postmortem diagnostic medical procedure conducted by a pathologist or other specially trained medical personnel, consisting of external and internal examination of a decedent, and may include other ancillary tests.

A stimulus or training method that animal will work to avoid or terminate.

Observable response(s) indicating desire to avoid a stimulus (may be motivated by fear but can occur without fear; e.g., learned or inherent dislike of a noxious or irritating stimulus)

Training procedure relying on the use of unpleasant stimuli. For example, when a canine receives a correction on the leash as it is lunging for food on the floor in the work environment. Canine learns that lunging for food is an unpleasant experience.

A stimulus that an animal will work to terminate or avoid.

The process in which an animal responds to a signal to avoid unpleasant consequences. (See aversive stimulus.) Example: A canine sits on command to avoid a correction

Observable response(s) that is indicative of a desire to refrain from contact or engagement with a stimulus.

Intentionally pairing a behavior with displeasure to develop a desired outcome. (See avoidance learning.)

The process in which an animal responds to a signal to avoid unpleasant consequences (aversive stimulus). (See avoidance conditioning.)

The pairing of displeasure with a negative behavior in order to extinct the behavior. (See 3.31 avoidance learning.)

A conflict resulting from being repelled by two undesirable goals or stimuli when there are strong pressures to choose one or the other. Often when the conflict is intense the canine will refuse to choose between the alternatives.

A deflagration resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing oxygen-deficient products of incomplete combustion.

A canine that is trained, certified, and/or works with more than one certified canine handler.

Nucleotide sequence database devoted to taxonomic studies and online platform for DNA sequence analysis of cytochrome oxidase I data.

Items used to conceal a target source in order to test the canine to perform the bark indication.

The normal frequency of occurrence of a specified response per unit of time for that individual canine or group of canines.

The a) BLAST algorithm, and b) a suite of database search programs that implement variations of this algorithm to generate alignments between a nucleotide or protein sequence in a query, and nucleotide or protein sequences within a database.

Refers to a) the BLAST algorithm, and b) a suite of database search programs that implement variations of this algorithm to generate alignments between a nucleotide or protein sequence in a query, and nucleotide or protein sequences within a database.

A set of standards, controls, and/or case samples that are contemporaneously prepared, extracted, and analyzed in a particular sequence

The FBI's Biometric Center of Excellence.

Biometric Data Block used in CBEFF.

A rounded mass of resolidified metal on the end of the remains of an electrical conductor or conductors that was caused by arcing and is characterized by a sharp line of demarcation between the melted and unmelted conductor surfaces.

a halo observed near the boundary of a transparent particle that is mounted in a medium that differs from the particle’s refractive index.

method for determining the refractive index of a transparent particle relative to its mountant by noting the direction in which the Becke line moves when the focus is changed. 

DISCUSSION—The Becke line always moves toward the higher refractive index medium (particle or mountant) when the focus is raised, and towards the lower refractive index medium when the focus is lowered. At the point where the index of the particle matches the index of the mounting medium, the Becke line is no longer visible. The Becke line is generally viewed at a wavelength of 589 nm (the D line of sodium [n_D]).

Any measurable, physical response of a canine. Can be voluntary (goal directed) or involuntary (reflexive).

The application of a behavioral technique (e.g., positive reinforcement) to change a behavior.

A series of independent behaviors that are linked together.