On 4 April 2017, an attack was alleged to have taken place in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria. A crater at the scene of the attack was suspected to be that of a chemical bomb.

The dimensions of impact craters can be analysed by weapons experts to draw conclusions about the type of munitions that caused them. Forensic Architecture (FA) constructed a 3D model of the crater to support that analysis.

Using footage taken on the ground by both civilians and journalists and a computational technique known as photogrammetry, we constructed a model from which we were able to take the required dimensions.

Our work supported a report by Human Rights Watch that accused the Syrian government of ‘widespread and systematic use’ of chemical weapons.

From footage taken by journalists and members of the public, we calculated the dimensions of the model through photogrammetry. (Forensic Architecture)