kildeidentifikation

Kildeidentifikation, or source identification, is the process of determining the origin of information, materials, or events. It involves collecting evidence to establish where something comes from, under what conditions it was produced, and who or what created it. The goal is to enable attribution, reproducibility, and accountability, and to support decision-making in research, law, industry, and public administration.

Methods vary by domain but share common elements. They include metadata analysis, sampling with chain-of-custody records, and analytical techniques such as isotope or chemical fingerprinting, DNA analysis, and material characterization. In digital contexts, data provenance and audit trails document how data were generated, modified, and shared, while access controls help maintain traceability.

Applications span several fields. Forensic science uses kildeidentifikasjon to link evidence to sources. Environmental monitoring and food safety rely on source attribution to identify emissions, contamination pathways, or supply-chain integrity. Journalism and science rely on provenance to assess credibility. Digital forensics and cybersecurity use it to trace events to their origins.

Challenges include measurement uncertainty, mixed sources, signal degradation, and privacy or legal constraints. Success depends on transparent methods, standardized procedures, and explicit acknowledgment of limitations.