PICTURES AND METHOD OF INVESTIGATION (CONTINUED)
RTL-Nieuws explains:
http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/binnenland/hoe-onderzocht-rtl-nieuws-de-nieuwe-mh17-fotos
Translation:
How did RTL-Nieuws examine the newly found pictures of flight MH17?
Three photographs very likely point to the downing of flight MH17 by an anti-aircraft missile from rebel territory, according to the investigation from the research editors of RTL News, made with the help of satellite imagery, elevation maps and photo analysis. Read on to learn how the investigation was conducted.
RTL Nieuws has posession of pictures taken on July 17 in eastern Ukraine in the area of the crash site MH17. This concerns the original files of three photos. On the first two pictures you can see a vertical plume. The third picture is a large black plume of smoke.
Two pictures have been published previously. But the three pictures held by RTL News are of a much higher resolution than previously published photos and also contain other data, such as the time at which they were taken. This was the starting point for further investigation. In order not to endanger the safety of the person who made the pictures, RTL Nieuws will not publish these photos.
Are the photos real?
First, we investigated whether the photos are real and whether they have not been manipulated. We have submitted the photos to two experts: Fox-IT, a company specializing in cyber crime, and Eduard de Kam of the Dutch Institute Digital Photography (NIDF). De Kam is a digital photo expert who assists the World Press Photo Jury with his knowledge. In particular, he is pays attention to wheter the images submitted have been tampered with.
Fox-IT and the NIDF have carefully studied the photo files and according to them, there is no indication of post-processing, fraud or manipulation of the three photos.
What's in the photos?
The first two pictures were taken shortly after one another (less than 10 seconds), a few minutes after contact was lost with the aircraft. That was at 15:20:03 Dutch time. The first picture is a wide shot and in the second picture the camera zooms in. On the horizon a black plume of smoke is visible that rises from the ground. This plume blows to the right and changes color to gray and then goes straight up as a plume of white smoke.
We consulted several missile experts, among others Theo Rikken. He has been head of the Defence Department of Guided Weapons at the airbase De Peel (The Netherlands) and later fulfilled various NATO staff positions.
As we put the pictures in front of him, he resolutely tells us: "This is very likely a trail of an anti-aircraft missile," or a smoke trail that a missile leaves behind when it is launched.
The third picture, which was taken again a few minutes later, around 15.30 hrs Dutch time, shows a thick black smoke plume that corresponds in shape with other images taken shortly after the crash of the MH17 aircraft.
Where have the pictures been taken?
To determine the position of the plume, it is important to identify where the pictures were taken. RTL Nieuws requested NEO (Netherlands Geomatics & Earth Observation) to analyze this. The company has extensive experience in interpreting satellite imagery, especially in rural areas. Previously, they have mapped for RTL Nieuws on the basis of satellite imagery where all pieces of wreckage of the plane ended up.
In addition, we have enlisted the help of the Delft University of Technology for taking measurements with the aim to find the position of the plume. We wanted to know where the missile could have been fired. Read
the report of NEO and TU Delf here (pdf).
We have requested NEO to search on satellite images with high resolution for the spots that we see in the photos, such as a large hump with soil. Three electricity poles that stick as a fork out of the ground, were found by NEO on the satellite images, but also on photos stored on the Internet.
In addition, NEO compared height maps of Airbus with the height as seen on the pictures from the area. TU Delft has then calculated what has been the height position of the creator of the picture.
What is the location of the plume?
NEO has found numerous landmarks in the photoson satellite maps. With those data, they were able to draw a line from the position of the author of the photo via the landmarks to the plume.
When the investigators of NEO drew the line further, they saw something special on the satellite images of a few days after the disaster: a corner of a yellow wheat field looked dark. In order to examine that location better we ordered a superior satellite image at DigitalGlobe.
On these images it can be seen that everywhere in the area grain and other agricultural products are still growing, or that they are being harvested. Only in this remarkable corner, where the plume was located according to the lines, the land has been plowed.
Corné van der Sanden of NEO says about this location: "In the image before the disaster, we see a normal field with wheat. But at this location, after the disaster, we see a black spot and that black spot could be.. burnt ground. We see that actually no vegetation is present in the wheat field. And you will also see a rampart and my suspicion is that the farmer has been trying to stop the fire by building a wal."
There are burn marks which confirm the launching?
On
images captured by British newspaper The Telegraph shortly after the disaster, burn marks appear on the ground that correspond to the dark spots next to the plowed field that we found back on the satellite images.
Was it a BUK-missile?
On this subject, both the missile experts and the satellite experts are inconclusive. This reconstruction and the interview of RTL correspondent Olaf Koen with the creator of the photos, ensure we are almost certain that this witness has seen and recorded the smoke plumes from the missile that downed flight MH17. It was therefore an anti-aircraft missile. Other evidence must prove what type of missile it concerns.
Who fired the missile?
The suspected spot in the field is located in an area that was in the hands of the pro-Russian rebels on July 17. This is seen on this map (version July 17) that is used among others by the OSCE to monitor the situation of war. About 10 kilometers further away the frontline changes into non-occupied territory (in the hands of Ukraine).
Could a missile have hit flight MH17 from this location?
Yes. A calculation of the TU Delft shows that from this spot it is possible to hit with a BUK missile a plane that flew on the location of the MH17 at the time of the attack.
Are the pictures in posession of RTL Nieuws also included in the criminal investigation?
The Dutch Prosecutor confirms to RTL Nieuws that the photos form part of the investigation.
BBM
WOW! RESPECT! Well done RTL-Nieuws! This is journalism at its best! :tyou:
:yourock:
