Manifold Destiny: Migrant Deaths and Destinations in the Arizona Desert

This research theorizes a model for unauthorized border crosser (UBC) behavior when crossing the Mexico/U.S. border into Arizona. The manifold model developed here is a modified funneling effect of multiple trails converging together at nodes that separate into multiple exit points. Using hydrological metaphors, we quantify deathsheds into trails by using the remains of UBCs as trail markers and then compare the trails produced from three geostatistical research methods. The results may be used in designing search-and-rescue locations.