Conductive Sink Dynamics: Differentiating Whole Blood Crusts and Serum Haloes in the ATCM Model

This technical note examines the conductive‑sink behaviour of whole blood crusts and serum haloes within the Adhesion–Triboelectric–Corona–Maillard (ATCM) model of image formation. Although both media suppress triboelectric charge generation during cloth–body peel‑front separation, they do so through distinct physical pathways: bulk ionic conduction in clotted blood and hygroscopic surface‑film conduction in serum. These mechanisms eliminate the asperity‑driven field concentrations required for micro‑corona discharge, preventing the formation of Maillard browning beneath blood or serum deposits. The analysis aligns with ultraviolet fluorescence imaging, microchemical testing, and the observed blood‑before‑image sequence on the Shroud of Turin. The findings support the ATCM model’s central claim that image inhibition arises from local charge‑generation dynamics rather than energy blocking or shielding. This note provides the mechanistic foundation for Module T2 of the ATCM Experimental Roadmap Series, which will experimentally quantify charge relaxation across biological films