Fingerprints are intricate patterns on the human palms and the soles of feet. These can be recorded with the help of different techniques, and can be of great help in identification of individuals.
When you look at your fingertips closely, you will notice that there are several different lines, sometimes known as friction ridges, spreading out till your palm. These are spread out all across your body, but in lesser prominence.
The ridges on the fingers are the most conspicuous, and no two people possess the same design. Forensics is an important branch of investigation that utilizes these patterns to catch criminals. The normal procedure followed by many crime agencies across the world is the creation of a data bank of such prints of known criminals.
Prominent Patterns
There are three recurring patterns and classifications that are consistently observed in different people. The 3 recurring patterns of ridges include arches, loops, and whorls.
Arches
Arches are usually observed on the mid of the fingertip, and have friction ridges that run in a parabola from one side of the pattern to another without turning back. There are some patterns where the ridges do re-curve back into the pattern.
There is usually no delta (triangular patch), in this pattern. Some important types of arches include plain arches, radial arches, ulnar arches, and tented arches, which are based upon the re-curving patterns, delta, and core structures.
Loops
Loops are an extended version of parabolas, that occur on most people's fingertips―in almost 60% of the population. These patterns have an oblong delta, and a core shaped like a loop. The core appears like a bean. Ulnar loops and radial loops are two types of loops. The radial ones have a free-flowing and constant delta, but the ulnar ones have more obstructed deltas.
Whorls
Whorls are also common, and occur in almost 25% people. In a whorl pattern, the ridges are concentric. There are different abnormalities in the concentric circles, as the deltas and cores tend to fluctuate and go out of the concentric circles. Some common types of whorls include plain whorls, central pocket whorls, double loop whorls, and accidental whorls.
It must be noted that there are several more sub-patterns and combinations that can occur. The ones mentioned here are just the commonly found ones.