Research Papers

Research Papers

Dive into the academic and scientific rigor behind UAP studies with a curated list of impactful research papers and publications.

Sol Foundation

UAP In Crowded Skies: Atmospheric And Orbital Threat Reduction In An Age Of Geopolitical Uncertainty

Sol Foundation

In an effort to bypass contentious debates over disclosure and the existence of extraterrestrial life, the Sol Foundation commissioned this report to explore policy reforms that could help the United States and other governments address the challenge of unidentified aerial (or anomalous) phenomena (UAP) while building bridges between potentially interested constituencies and existing stakeholders.ous phenomena will remain hidden absent dedicated research in our largely unknown oceans.

The White Papers of the Sol Foundation

March 18, 2024

Sol Foundation

Beneath The Surface We May Learn More About UAP By Looking In The Ocean

T. Gallaudet

Beyond strengthening national security, expanding research on UAP into the maritime domain can lead to a greater understanding of the ocean, with positive outcomes for marine conservation and the American blue economy. Most crucially, a complete understanding of anomalous phenomena will remain hidden absent dedicated research in our largely unknown oceans.

The White Papers of the Sol Foundation

March 18, 2024

Sol Foundation

Beneath The Surface We May Learn More About UAP By Looking In The Ocean

T. Gallaudet

Beyond strengthening national security, expanding research on UAP into the maritime domain can lead to a greater understanding of the ocean, with positive outcomes for marine conservation and the American blue economy. Most crucially, a complete understanding of anomalous phenomena will remain hidden absent dedicated research in our largely unknown oceans.

The White Papers of the Sol Foundation

March 18, 2024

Society for UAP Studies

Investigating UAP Events Using Astronomical Techniques

M. Teodorani

The most important measurements for the scientific investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) using astronomical methods are presented and discussed, where results obtained in the past motivate the proposal for new observations using multiwavelength and multimodal instruments. A special emphasis is given on the techniques of magnetometry, photometry and spectroscopy, and on the importance of studying the variability of the phenomenon in order to try to understand the physical process that governs it, including a possible propulsion mechanism. The most important obtainable physical parameters are discussed in detail, with a particular emphasis on how they might be correlated together. Calculations of the integration times needed for obtaining optimum signal-to-noise-ratios in photometry and spectroscopy are presented. The idea of placing measurement instruments at areas of the world where the phenomenon is recurrent is strongly suggested. Past monitoring campaigns at such locations are briefly described together with the pertinent literature.

Limina: The Journal of UAP Studies

January 31, 2024

Gesellschaft zur Erforschung des UFO-Phänomens e.V

Development, Dissemination, and Revision of Good Scientific Practice for Research on UAP

D. Ammon

Research on UAP experiences, especially in the form of a single case study or investigation, is primarily conducted by lay or citizen scientists worldwide. There is a need for responsible and methodically justified research to be established to receive verifiable, comparable work results and to ensure ethically conscientious interactions with other researchers and experience reporters. In this article, principles of good scientific practice for research on UAP in Germany are presented. In part, these principles are derived from existing professional norms, but they are further specified for UAP research. Predecessors of the principles are identified; then the process of their development and different stages of review are described. Furthermore, the application of the principles and their revision process are discussed. The paper concludes with the presentation of the research principles in the current version. In conclusion, the establishment and application of such principles can improve the quality of research conducted by volunteering individuals or non-profit organizations and thus generate better data on UAP.

Limina: The Journal of UAP Studies

January 31, 2024

AIAA UAP

Exploring Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena through Instrumented Field Studies: Historical Insights, Current Challenges, and Future Directions

P. Ailleris

The study of Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) requires a shift from a historical, narrative-based approach to a scientific and technology-based study. To conduct unbiased and agnostic research on UAPs, rigorous scientific study is necessary, including the collection of hard data to support credible explanations or scientifically prove the existence of unknown phenomena. Obtaining reliable and valid data requires instrumented observations, including multi-wavelength and multi-mode sensors (e.g., optical, radar, infrared). We present herein an overview of the benefits as well as the strategic and tactical considerations of instrumented field studies, highlighting common limitations and shortcomings with the objective of contributing to the development of future projects. We provide an overview of some past and current UAP military and civilian projects and analyze a timetable of instrumented projects spanning the years 1950-2023, encompassing contributions from both citizen science and professional/academic science. In conclusion, this paper reflects on how UAP field experiments might look going forward. Newer technologies like digital cameras, scientific instruments, computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and satellite imagery are becoming more advanced and cost-effective. This is leading to the growth and progress of technical field studies, complementing local projects with global-scale investigations. Researchers can enhance their chances of success by adopting a more disciplined approach and exploring innovative avenues. Collaboration, transparency, and standardization in data collection and analysis are crucial, while also acknowledging the complex nature of the UAP phenomenon.

Limina: The Journal of UAP Studies

January 31, 2024

The Oxygen Bottleneck for Technospheres

Amedeo Balbi and Adam Frank

As oxygen is essential for respiration and metabolism for multicellular organisms on Earth, its presence may be crucial for the development of a complex biosphere on other planets. And because life itself, through photosynthesis, contributed to creating our oxygen-rich atmosphere, oxygen has long been considered as a possible biosignature. Here we consider the relationship between atmospheric oxygen and the development of technology. We argue that only planets with substantial oxygen partial pressure (pO2) will be capable of developing advanced technospheres and hence technosignatures that we can detect. But open-air combustion (needed, for example, for metallurgy), is possible only in Earth-like atmospheres when pO2≥18%. This limit is higher than the one needed to sustain a complex biosphere and multicellular organisms. We further review other possible planetary atmospheric compositions and conclude that oxygen is the most likely candidate for the evolution of technological species. Thus, the presence of pO2≥18% in exoplanet atmospheres may represent a contextual prior required for the planning and interpretation of technosignature searches.

Nature Astronomy

December 28, 2023

Scientific Reports

An Environmental Analysis of Public UAP Sightings and Sky View Potential

R. M. Medina, S. C. Brewer and S. M. Kirkpatrick

Sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) have been reported throughout history. Given the potential security and safety risks they pose, as well as scientific curiosity, there is increasing interest in understanding what these sighting reports represent. We approach this problem as an important one of the human experience and that can be examined through a geographical lens: what local factors may increase or decrease the number of sighting reports? Using a Bayesian regression method, we test hypotheses based on variables representing sky view potential (light pollution, tree canopy, and cloud cover) and the potential for objects to be present in the sky (aircraft and military installations). The dependent variable includes over 98,000 publicly reported UAP sightings in the conterminous United States during the 20-year period from 2001 to 2020. The model results find credible correlations between variables that suggest people see more “phenomena” when they have more opportunity to. This analysis is one of few investigations of UAP sighting reports at a national scale providing context to help examine individual reports. Given that these objects are labeled unidentifiable in the personal sense, there are many natural and/or human based explanations worth exploring.

Nature

December 14, 2023

UAPx

Initial Results From the First Field Expedition of UAPx to Study Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

M. Szydagis, K.H. Knuth, B.W. Kugielsky, C. Levy, J.D. McGowan, M.D. Phelan, and G.P. Voorhis Jr

In July 2021, faculty from the UAlbany Department of Physics participated in a week-long field expedition with the organization UAPx to collect data on UAPs in Avalon, California, located on Catalina Island, and nearby. This paper reviews both the hardware and software techniques which this collaboration employed, and contains a frank discussion of the successes and failures, with a section about how to apply lessons learned to future expeditions. Both observable-light and infrared cameras were deployed, as well as sensors for other (non-EM) emissions. A pixel-subtraction method was augmented with other similarly simple methods to provide initial identification of objects in the sky and/or the sea crossing the cameras' fields of view. The first results will be presented based upon approximately one hour in total of triggered visible/night-vision-mode video and over 600 hours of untriggered (far) IR video recorded, as well as 55 hours of (background) radiation measurements. Following multiple explanatory resolutions of several ambiguities that were potentially anomalous at first, we focus on the primary remaining ambiguity captured at approximately 4am Pacific Time on Friday, July 16: a dark spot in the visible/near-IR camera possibly coincident with ionizing radiation that has thus far resisted a prosaic explanation. We conclude with quantitative suggestions for serious researchers in this still-nascent field of hard-science-based UAP studies, with an ultimate goal of identifying UAPs without confirmation bias toward either mundane or speculative conclusions.

December 1, 2023

NASA

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team Report

David Spergel, Daniel Evans, Anamaria Berea, Federica Bianco, Reggie Brothers, Paula Bontempi, Jennifer Buss, Nadia Drake, Mike Gold, David Grinspoon, Scott Kelly, Matt Mountain, Warren Randolph, Walter Scott, Joshua Semeter, Karlin Toner, and Shelley Wright

The study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) presents a unique scientific opportunity that demands a rigorous, evidence-based approach. Addressing this challenge will require new and robust data acquisition methods, advanced analysis techniques, a systematic reporting framework and reducing reporting stigma. NASA – with its extensive expertise in these domains and global reputation for scientific openness – is in an excellent position to contribute to UAP studies within the broader whole-of-government framework led by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

September 14, 2023

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

UAP Indications Analysis: 1945-1975 United States Atomic Warfare Complex

L. J. Hancock, I. M. Porrit, and S. Grosvenor

This paper provides an assessment of indicators associated with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) reports near American military and aerospace facilities and ranks the relative likelihood of the following four intention scenarios: 1) general military survey, 2) atomic weapons survey, 3) atomic warfare prevention and 4) military aggression. This study follows on the work presented in UAP Pattern Recognition Study 1945-1975, US Military Atomic Warfare Complex (Hancock et al., 2023a), and is based on the conclusions that intelligent and focused activity was associated with UAP near atomic facilities to a greater degree than near conventional non-atomic military facilities. The data for this indications analysis include both the original 590 UAP reports and the five study sites in Hancock et al., 2023a: 1) atomic materials production, 2) atomic weapons assembly, 3) atomic weapons stockpiles, 4) atomic weapons deployment, and 5) rocket/missile testing and development, plus a further 284 UAP reports that indicated either engaged aircraft, active radar jamming, radio interference in the form of noise on aircraft audio receivers, radar interference / jamming of aircraft receivers, directed radar frequency transmissions mimicking the frequencies used by pilots, coded radar frequency transmissions identification friend or foe; or were observed during missile, rocket, and high-altitude balloon tests, or over military installations. Intention analysis was applied to assess scenarios related to information collection/ survey, deterrent/obstruction of military activities, and aggressive engagement. A list of indicators was created, and four major scenarios were considered for assessment. Results indicated that an atomic weapons survey was the most likely scenario. General military survey was the next likely scenario. Atomic warfare prevention and military aggression appeared as the least likely scenarios, in that order; we found little evidence to support prevention or aggression as primary intentions.

August 14, 2023

AIAA UAP

Research on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena at the Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg

Hakan Kayal, Tobias Greiner, Tobias Kaiser and Sebastian Oehme

One of the main research topics at the professorship of Astronautics of the Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg (JMUW) is the investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) since 2008. The observations of the phenomena for decades, previously known as Unidentified Flying Object (UFO), with their partly very unusual characteristics and the potential threat to air traffic are important reasons to investigate the background of these phenomena. Since a serious part of the reported characteristics obviously could not be clarified even after intensive investigations, UAP is also interesting for science and some of them could point to new phenomena, perhaps previously unknown. However, due to the stigma attached to the UFO phenomenon for more than 74 years, very few scientific investigations and publications have been carried out so far, thus preventing its elucidation. In this paper the activities at the JMUW in UAP research would be explained.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

System Study Of Constraints For The Creation Of UAP Electromagnetic Signature Optimal Detection Systems

Peter A. Reali

The objective of the author’s study is to create systems for detecting UAP that may help mitigate hazards they present to Aerospace safety. This paper derives a method for determining the system limitations of an optimal detection system based either optical video or still cameras. It creates a probabilistic model that can be extended to other types of electromagnetic spectrum detection systems such as radio or infrared. The model contains eight parameters that are examined in detail for a collection of distributed manned or unmanned stations assuming a random geographical distribution of UAP events occurring with a certain average frequency per year. It determines the number of stations required to achieve at least one detection within a derived period of time as a function of the eight assumed parameters of the model. This presents a guideline for creating the design specifications for the detection instruments along with the cost objectives for designing the system and maintaining a large network of stations. The calculations assume a probabilistic sampling model with replacement based on the binomial probability distribution. The study points out the difficulty of getting sufficient optical data and why historically this has been so difficult to obtain.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

Detection, Characterization, and Evaluation of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

Michael F. Lembeck, Dan Heimerdinger, Ryan Graves, Marty Snow and Peter A. Reali

The AIAA Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Integration and Outreach Committee (IOC) is working to improve aviation safety by enhancing scientific knowledge of, and mitigating barriers to, the study of UAP. The IOC is organized around three subcommittees chartered to perform outreach activities, address human factors issues, and support stakeholders with hardware factors analysis related to the detection, characterization, and evaluation of UAP. This paper provides an overview of the approach being implemented to further the understanding of objects of unknown origin operating in controlled airspaces.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

Reconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 “Gimbal” UAP

Yannick Peings and Marik von Rennenkampff

The so-called “Gimbal” video is arguably the most recognizable publicly-available footage of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Recorded in January 2015 off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, by a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet’s AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod, the video shows an infrared-significant object skimming over clouds. Towards the end of the 34-second clip, the object appears to stop and rotate in mid-air. Naval aviators who participated in the event indicate that: (1) The UAP was within 10 nautical miles of the F/A-18F, (2) that, from the perspective of the aircrew’s top-down radar display, it was seen to stop and reverse direction with no radius of turn, and (3) that the UAP was accompanied by a formation of 4-6 other unknown objects. Using data from the ATFLIR video, it is possible to reconstruct potential flight paths for the object as a function of distance. We show that, at the range provided by the aviators, potential flight paths align with eyewitness accounts: The object decelerates from a few hundred knots before rapidly reversing direction in a “vertical U-turn.” Such a maneuver would have been observed on the overhead radar display as an abrupt reversal of direction with no radius of turn. The highly anomalous flight path found at the range provided by the aircrew, along with the remarkable match between the reconstructed flight path, eyewitness recollections, and the object’s rotation, raises intriguing questions about the nature of the object. This is especially the case because, at this distance, no wings or infrared signatures consistent with conventional means of propulsion (e.g., an exhaust plume in the direction of flight) are visible. An alternative hypothesis, which proposes that Gimbal shows infrared “glare” from the exhaust of a conventional jet aircraft viewed approximately tail-on 30 nautical miles from the F/A-18F, is also discussed. According to this theory, the rotation observed in the video is an artifact of the ATFLIR targeting pod. Our goal is to provide an overview of analyses of the Gimbal encounter conducted by private citizens. We encourage aeronautics/aerospace experts to provide feedback so that a better understanding of the Gimbal UAP may be achieved.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

Aerodynamic Interactions and Turbulence Mitigation by Unidentified Aerospace-undersea Phenomena

Timothy K. Oliver

In this study, we investigate the hypothesis that the apparent lack of interaction of fast-moving unidentified aerospace-undersea phenomena (UAP) with their surrounding physical media can be attributed to the implementation of a functionalized force field. Specifically, we propose that a force field emanating from the moving object and centered around it could enable it to move through water without experiencing significant pressure changes or cavitation, and through air without generating shock waves, sonic booms, or aerodynamic heating. While the application and source of this force field is purely speculative, our research using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has demonstrated that operation of such a force field can effectively reduce fluid dynamic features that are commonly associated with rapid movement of objects through these media. As UAP pose a significant risk to flight safety, our work plays an important role in comprehending how they may operate. This knowledge could lead to the development of technologies that aid in the recognition and avoidance of UAP by aviators, mitigating the risks associated with these unexplained phenomena.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

Expedition to W-72

John Platte

This paper describes the key characteristics of a scientific research expedition designed to rapidly advance scientific knowledge with respect to the nature and origins of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). We present our approach and motivation for conducting the research, along with background information related to the issue. We provide our analysis of potential locations for such an expedition, as well as an analysis of tools (platforms and sensors) that could be used to detect UAP. We also describe a recommended search methodology for obtaining the data needed for a successful mission, as well as other considerations related to the proposed expedition. We conclude with a summary of our recommendations and highlight the importance of this expedition, particularly in relation to improving aerospace safety.

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

AIAA UAP

Recommendations to Improve Acquisition and Management of Aviation-Related UAP Data

Ryan Graves, Martin G. Snow, John Platte, John-Michael Gutierrez and Ted Roe

The ability to understand UAP and its impact on aviation safety relies heavily upon the quality of data that can be retrieved and analyzed from aviation-related UAP sighting reports. Current guidance directs the aviation community to report UAP incidents to a civilian reporting center. The current multitude of (non-aviation-specific) civilian reporting centers is an obstacle to achieving this understanding of UAP. This paper proposes that a viable solution is the establishment of a single, national (or potentially international) reporting center for all aviation-related UAP incidents. An optimal platform to host this reporting center is the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS).

Aerospace Research Central

June 8, 2023

Galileo Project

The Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-Based Observatories

Wesley Andrés Watters, Abraham Loeb, Frank Laukien, Richard Cloete, Alex Delacroix, Sergei Dobroshinsky, Benjamin Horvath, Ezra Kelderman, Sarah Little, Eric Masson, Andrew Mead, Mitch Randall, Forrest Schultz, Matthew Szenher, Foteini Vervelidou, Abigail White, Angelique Ahlström, Carol Cleland, Spencer Dockal, Natasha Donahue, Mark Elowitz, Carson Ezell, Alex Gersznowicz, Nicholas Gold, Michael G. Hercz, Eric Keto, Kevin H. Knuth, Anthony Lux, Gary J. Melnick, Amaya Moro-Martín, Javier Martin-Torres, Daniel Llusa Ribes, Paul Sail, Massimo Teodorani, John Joseph Tedesco, Gerald Thomas Tedesco, Michelle Tu, and Maria-Paz Zorzano

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) have resisted explanation and have received little formal scientific attention for 75 years. A primary objective of the Galileo Project is to build an integrated software and instrumentation system designed to conduct a multimodal census of aerial phenomena and to recognize anomalies. Here we present key motivations for the study of UAP and address historical objections to this research. We describe an approach for highlighting outlier events in the high-dimensional parameter space of our census measurements. We provide a detailed roadmap for deciding measurement requirements, as well as a science traceability matrix (STM) for connecting sought-after physical parameters to observables and instrument requirements. We also discuss potential strategies for deciding where to locate instruments for development, testing, and final deployment. Our instrument package is multimodal and multispectral, consisting of (1) wide-field cameras in multiple bands for targeting and tracking of aerial objects and deriving their positions and kinematics using triangulation; (2) narrow-field instruments including cameras for characterizing morphology, spectra, polarimetry, and photometry; (3) passive multistatic arrays of antennas and receivers for radar-derived range and kinematics; (4) radio spectrum analyzers to measure radio and microwave emissions; (5) microphones for sampling acoustic emissions in the infrasonic through ultrasonic frequency bands; and (6) environmental sensors for characterizing ambient conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind velocity), as well as quasistatic electric and magnetic fields, and energetic particles. The use of multispectral instruments and multiple sensor modalities will help to ensure that artifacts are recognized and that true detections are corroborated and verifiable. Data processing pipelines are being developed that apply state-of-the-art techniques for multi-sensor data fusion, hypothesis tracking, semi-supervised classification, and outlier detection.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

May 13, 2023

Galileo Project

Detection of Moving Objects in Earth Observation Satellite Images

Eric Keto and Wesley Andrés Watters

Moving objects have characteristic signatures in multi-spectral images made by Earth observation satellites that use push broom scanning. While the general concept is applicable to all satellites of this type, each satellite design has its own unique imaging system and requires unique methods to analyze the characteristic signatures. We assess the feasibility of detecting moving objects and measuring their velocities in one particular archive of satellite images made by Planet Labs Corporation with their constellation of SuperDove satellites. Planet Labs data presents a particular challenge in that the images in the archive are mosaics of individual exposures and therefore do not have unique time stamps. We explain how the timing information can be restored indirectly. Our results indicate that the movement of common transportation vehicles, airplanes, cars, and boats, can be detected and measured.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

May 6, 2023

Galileo Project

Multi-Band Acoustic Monitoring of Aerial Signatures

Andrew Mead, Sarah Little, Paul Sail, Michelle Tu, Wesley Andrés Watters, Abigail White, and Richard Cloete

The acoustic monitoring, omni-directional system (AMOS) in the Galileo Project is a passive, multi-band, field microphone suite designed to aid in the detection and characterization of aerial phenomena. Acoustic monitoring augments the Project’s electromagnetic sensors suite by providing a relatively independent physical signal modality with which to validate the identification of known phenomena and to more fully characterize detected objects. The AMOS system spans infrasonic frequencies down to 0.05Hz, all of audible, and ultrasonic frequencies up to 190kHz. It uses three distinct systems with overlapping bandwidths: infrasonic (0.05Hz – 20Hz), audible (10Hz – 20kHz), and ultrasonic (16kHz – 190kHz). The sensors and their capture devices allow AMOS to monitor and characterize the tremendous range of sounds produced by natural and human-made aerial phenomena, and to encompass possible acoustic characteristics of novel sources. Sound signals from aerial objects can be captured and classified with a single microphone under the following conditions: the sound reaches the sensor; the sound level is above ambient noise; and the signal has not been excessively distorted by the transmission path. A preliminary examination of the signal and noise environment required for the detection and characterization of aerial objects, based on theoretical and empirical equations for sound attenuation in air, finds that moderately loud audible sources (100dB) at 1km are detectable, especially for frequencies below 1kHz and in quiet, rural environments. Infrasonic sources are detectable at much longer distances and ultrasonic at much shorter distances. Preliminary aircraft recordings collected using the single, omni-directional audible microphone are presented, along with basic spectral analysis. Such data will be used in conjunction with flight transponder data to develop algorithms and corresponding software for quickly identifying known aircraft and characterizing the sound transmission path. Future work will include multi-sensor audible and infrasonic arrays for sound localization; analysis of larger and more diverse data sets; and exploration of machine learning and artificial intelligence integration for the detection and identification of many more types of known phenomena in all three frequency bands.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

May 5, 2023

Galileo Project

Physical Considerations for an Intercept Mission to a 1I/’Oumuamua-Like Interstellar Object

Amir Siraj, Abraham Loeb, Amaya Moro-Martín, Mark Elowitz, Abigail White, Wesley A. Watters, Gary J. Melnick, Richard Cloete, Jonathan Grindlay, and Frank Laukien

In this paper, we review some of the extant literature on the study of interstellar objects (ISOs). With the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Telescope and Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we find that 0.38−84 ‘Oumuamua-like interstellar objects are expected to be detected in the next 10 years, with 95% confidence. The feasibility of a rendezvous trajectory has been demonstrated in previous work. In this paper, we investigate the requirements for a rendezvous mission with the primary objective of producing a resolved image of an interstellar object. We outline the rendezvous distances necessary as a function of resolution elements and object size. We expand upon current population synthesis models to account for the size dependency on the detection rates for reachable interstellar objects. We assess the trade-off between object diameter and occurrence rate, and conclude that objects with the size range between a third of the size and the size of ‘Oumuamua will be optimal targets for an imaging rendezvous. We also discuss expectations for surface properties and spectral features of interstellar objects, as well as the benefits of various spacecraft storage locations.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

April 22, 2023

Galileo Project

SkyWatch: A Passive Multistatic Radar Network for the Measurement of Object Position and Velocity

Mitch Randall, Alex Delacroix, Carson Ezell, Ezra Kelderman, Sarah Little, Abraham Loeb, Eric Masson, Wesley Andrés Watters, Richard Cloete, and Abigail White

Quantitative three-dimensional (3D) position and velocity estimates obtained by passive radar will assist the Galileo Project in the detection and classification of aerial objects by providing critical measurements of range, location, and kinematics. These parameters will be combined with those derived from the Project’s suite of electromagnetic sensors and used to separate known aerial objects from those exhibiting anomalous kinematics. SkyWatch, a passive multistatic radar system based on commercial broadcast FM radio transmitters of opportunity, is a network of receivers spaced at geographical scales that enables estimation of the 3D position and velocity time series of objects at altitudes up to 80km, horizontal distances up to 150km, and at velocities to ±2km/s (±6 Mach). The receivers are designed to collect useful data in a variety of environments varying by terrain, transmitter power, relative transmitter distance, adjacent channel strength, etc. In some cases, the direct signal from the transmitter may be large enough to be used as the reference with which the echoes are correlated. In other cases, the direct signal may be weak or absent, in which case a reference is communicated to the receiver from another network node via the internet for echo correlation. Various techniques are discussed specific to the two modes of operation and a hybrid mode. Delay and Doppler data are sent via internet to a central server where triangulation is used to deduce time series of 3D positions and velocities. A multiple receiver (multistatic) radar experiment is undergoing Phase 1 testing, with several receivers placed at various distances around the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), to validate full 3D position and velocity recovery. The experimental multistatic system intermittently records raw data for later processing to aid development. The results of the multistatic experiment will inform the design of a compact, economical receiver intended for deployment in a large-scale, mass-deployed mesh network. Such a network would greatly increase the probability of detecting and recording the movements of aerial objects with anomalous kinematics suggestive of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

April 18, 2023

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

UAP Pattern Recognition Study 1945-1975 US Military Atomic Warfare Complex

L. J. Hancock, I. M. Porritt, S. Grosvenor, L. Cates, and I. Okafor

This paper provides a view of the pattern of reported Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) in the United States associated with the military atomic weapons complex between 1945 and 1975. A set of 590 comprehensively documented UAP reports from this period were collected from select sources, including Project Blue Book. These were analyzed graphically for spatial and temporal differences between the number of incidents reported at sites within the atomic warfare complex, and control sites. Initial study site classes were: 1) radioactive materials production plants; 2) atomic weapons assembly facilities, and 3) atomic weapons stockpile sites. Control sites classes were 1) civilian population centers and 2) high-security, non-atomic weapons military bases. Elevated UAP activity was found at all three atomic site classes and was most noticeable in the earliest facility in each class. UAP activity began during the construction phase for some sites and escalated when the site became operational. Elevated activity at study sites occurred in a "window" between 1948-1951, continued through the national spike in UAP reporting in 1952, then dramatically decreased, never to repeat the "window" levels during the remainder of the study period. The second phase of the study compared additional atomic weapons deployment sites vs: 4) additional non-atomic military sites, and 5) major American rocket/missile and aerospace test and development facilities. Moderately elevated UAP activity was associated with bases where atomic weapons were operationally deployed (Air Force and Navy). Distinctive patterns of UAP activity were noted in conjunction with the deployment of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), and other individual and distinctive patterns of UAP incident reports were noted for different types of atomic weapons complex sites over the full period of this study.

March 21, 2023

Galileo Project + AARO

Physical Constraints On Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Abraham Loeb and Sean M. Kirkpatrick

We derive physical constraints on interpretations of “highly maneuverable” Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) based on standard physics and known forms of matter and radiation. In particular, we show that the friction of UAP with the surrounding air or water is expected to generate a bright optical fireball, ionization shell and tail - implying radio signatures. The fireball luminosity scales with inferred distance to the 5th power. Radar cross-section scales similarly to meteor head echoes as the square of the effective radius of the sphere surrounding the object, while the radar cross-section of the resulting ionization tail scales linearly with the radius of the ionization cylinder. The lack of all these signatures could imply inaccurate distance measurements (and hence derived velocity) for single site sensors without a range gate capability

Draft Under Review

March 7, 2023

Galileo Project

A Hardware and Software Platform for Aerial Object Localization

Matthew Szenher, Alex Delacroix, Eric Keto, Sarah Little, Mitch Randall, Wesley Andres Watters, Eric Masson, and Richard Cloete

To date, there are little reliable data on the position, velocity and acceleration characteristics of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). The dual hardware and software system described in this document provides a means to address this gap. We describe a weatherized multi-camera system which can capture images in the visible, infrared and near infrared wavelengths. We then describe the software we will use to calibrate the cameras and to robustly localize objects-of-interest in three dimensions. We show how object localizations captured over time will be used to compute the velocity and acceleration of airborne objects.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

March 4, 2023

American Astronomical Society

A Bayesian Analysis of Technological Intelligence in Land and Oceans

Manasvi Lingam, Amedeo Balbi, and Swadesh M. Mahajan

Current research indicates that (sub)surface ocean worlds essentially devoid of subaerial landmasses (e.g., continents) are common in the Milky Way and that these worlds could host habitable conditions, thence raising the possibility that life and technological intelligence (TI) may arise in such aquatic settings. It is known, however, that TI on Earth (i.e., humans) arose on land. Motivated by these considerations, we present a Bayesian framework to assess the prospects for the emergence of TIs in land- and ocean-based habitats (LBHs and OBHs). If all factors are equally conducive for TIs to arise in LBHs and OBHs, we demonstrate that the evolution of TIs in LBHs (which includes humans) might have very low odds of roughly 1 in 103 to 1 in 104, thus outwardly contradicting the Copernican principle. Hence, we elucidate three avenues whereby the Copernican principle can be preserved: (i) the emergence rate of TIs is much lower in OBHs, (ii) the habitability interval for TIs is much shorter in OBHs, and (iii) only a small fraction of worlds with OBHs comprise appropriate conditions for effectuating TIs. We also briefly discuss methods for empirically falsifying our predictions and comment on the feasibility of supporting TIs in aerial environments.

The Astrophysical Journal

March 2, 2023

Galileo Project

Overview of the Galileo Project

Abraham Loeb and Frank H. Laukien

The Galileo Project is the first systematic scientific research program in the search for potential astro-archaeological artifacts or remnants of extraterrestrial technological civilizations (ETCs) or potentially active equipment near Earth. Taking a path not taken, it conceivably may pick some low-hanging fruit, and without asserting probabilities — make discoveries of ETC-related objects, which would have far-reaching implications for science and our worldview.

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

February 13, 2023

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

A Forensic Analysis of the “Rubber Duck” UAP Video

Peter A. Reali

A multi-faceted, forensic-type analysis was conducted of what has been termed the "Rubber Duck" videos. These are two publicly available mp4 files that appear to show an unidentified aerospace phenomenon (UAP) moving with no means of propulsion or aerodynamic means of lift across a desert environment. These two, 30 min clips, "Rubber Duck 1 & 2", are claimed to be from an anonymous source at the Department of Homeland Security. They were purportedly taken from a FLIR camera system onboard a RC-26B aircraft used by the Arizona Air National Guard on November 23, 2019. Data displayed on both videos are consistent with video being taken while in flight over the route described by the source. SCU was provided these videos by podcaster Andy Marcial. Kinematics, trajectory, rotation, flight characteristics (including parallax), lighting and temperature are investigated, as well as environmental weather conditions. The results of this analysis support the conclusion that the object cannot be explained as any known natural phenomenon or by any known technology used for aeronautical propulsion. As such, the object can be classified as a UAP. Such objects can be a hazard to aerial transportation, a dangerous distraction to pilots in certain situations, and are worthy of scientific investigation.

November 12, 2022

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

Isotope Ratios and Chemical Analysis of the 1957 Brazilian Ubatuba Fragment

Robert M. Powell, Michael D. Swords, Mark Rodeghier, and Phyllis Budinger

A sample from the Ubatuba fragment collected in Brazil in 1957 was tested with the intent of examining the isotope ratios of its primary element, magnesium, and the trace elements strontium, barium, copper, and zinc. As background, the history of chemical testing of the Ubatuba fragments during the 1960s-1980s at multiple labs with varying capabilities is reviewed and then the remainder of the paper examines recent tests completed in 2017 and 2018 that for the first time used HR-ICPMS techniques to look at the isotopic ratios of the minor constituents as well as the primary magnesium component of the sample. The magnesium isotope ratios were found to fall within terrestrial limits while the results on the isotope ratios of the trace elements were inconclusive. Recommendations are made for improving the process of examining the trace elements.

Journal of Scientific Exploration

May 22, 2022

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

A New Appraisal of the Data of the Delphos CE2 1971 Case

Erol A. Faruk

An unidentified aerospace phenomenon (UAP) witnessed from 75 ft at a farm in Kansas in November 1971 is regarded as one of the most puzzling physical trace cases. It involved an illuminated UAP hovering just above the ground for several minutes before departing to leave a glowing ring of soil. The latter was photographed and even touched by members of a farming family shortly afterwards. A profound chemical change of the resulting ring soil was discovered in that the surface material down to a level 14 inches deep had become highly resistant to absorbing water as most soils would commonly do. Over the years attempts have been made by various laboratories to analyze the soil in order to shed light on the cause of the hydrophobicity and determine why the ring was claimed to be glowing. This author carried out a major organic chemical analysis in late 1977 which led him to discover that the ring soil was impregnated with a highly water-soluble soap-like compound that paradoxically led to the hydrophobicity and which on isolation and characterization revealed chemiluminescent properties. This paper brings together all other relevant data in order to aid confirming the event as being genuinely anomalous.

November 22, 2021

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

Estimating Flight Characteristics of Anomalous Unidentified Aerial Vehicles in 2004 Nimitz Encounter

Kevin H. Knuth, Robert M. Powell, and Peter A. Reali

A number of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) encountered by military, commercial, and civilian aircraft have been reported to be structured craft that exhibit `impossible’ flight characteristics. We consider the 2004 UAP encounters with the Nimitz Carrier Group off the coast of California, and estimate lower bounds on the accelerations exhibited by the craft during the observed maneuvers. Estimated accelerations range from 75g to more than 5000g with no observed air disturbance, no sonic booms, and no evidence of excessive heat commensurate with even the minimal estimated energies. In accordance with observations, the estimated parameters describing the behavior of these craft are both anomalous and surprising. The extreme estimated flight characteristics reveal that these observations are either fabricated or seriously in error, or that these craft exhibit technology far more advanced than any known craft on Earth. In the case of the Nimitz encounters the number and quality of witnesses, the variety of roles they played in the encounters, and the equipment used to track and record the craft favor the latter hypothesis that these are technologically advanced craft.

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

December 16, 2019

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

A Forensic Analysis of Navy Carrier Strike Group Eleven’s Encounter with an Anomalous Aerial Vehicle (2004)

Robert M. Powell, Peter A. Reali, Tim Thompson, Morgan Beall, Doug Kimzey, Larry Cates, and Richard Hoffman

Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) have been encountered by the military throughout the last 70 years. Whether these objects are a physical reality is open for debate and electronic documentation of these sightings is difficult to obtain. This paper describes the analysis of an Infrared video taken of a UAP encountered by the U.S. Navy in 2004. A Defense Intelligence Agency released video taken by an F/A-18F jet using an AN/ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) system has been analyzed to determine demonstrated accelerations of the UAP. Calculations based on the ATFLIR video, radar information, and testimony from the pilots, are used to derive the velocity, acceleration and estimated power demonstrated by the UAP maneuvers. Calculated UAP accelerations ranged from 40 g-forces to hundreds of g-forces and estimated power based on a weight of one ton ranged from one to nine gigawatts. Manned aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 are limited to nine g-force and the F-35 has maintained structural integrity up to 13.5 g-forces. Our results suggest that given the available information the UAP capabilities exhibited do not match any known technology in the public domain.

March 3, 2019

Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

2013 Aguadilla Puerto Rico UAP Incident: A Detailed Analysis

This report is a detailed analysis of a Homeland Security thermal video taken from an aircraft as it tracked an unidentified object. What you will see in the infra-red is an object that seems capable of traveling at night without lights, at times below tree-top altitude, at speeds approaching 100 mph, and apparently without risk of impacting objects as it passes by.

August 15, 2018

This website (uapcaucus.com) is an independent community-driven platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of any official government entity, including the UAP Caucus within the House of Representatives, or any other official body. The views, frameworks, and content expressed on this site are those of the contributors and do not reflect the official stance or endorsement of any governmental organization.

This website (uapcaucus.com) is an independent community-driven platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of any official government entity, including the UAP Caucus within the House of Representatives, or any other official body. The views, frameworks, and content expressed on this site are those of the contributors and do not reflect the official stance or endorsement of any governmental organization.

This website (uapcaucus.com) is an independent community-driven platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of any official government entity, including the UAP Caucus within the House of Representatives, or any other official body. The views, frameworks, and content expressed on this site are those of the contributors and do not reflect the official stance or endorsement of any governmental organization.