P roject C apella


DOCU M A T ICA  RESEA RCH, L L C
Report no.001
to Bigelow A erospace A dvanced Space Studies, L L C (BA A SS)
Project CA PEL L A :
T owards the development of a data warehouse 
in support of research on unusual aerial phenomena 
and related anomalies
_ A A P Person 5 1
San Francisco, California
D ecem ber 10,2008
A A P Person
5
CAPELLA Data Warehouse page 1


o
Project CA PEL L A :
T owards the development of a data warehouse 
in support of research on unusual aerial phenomena and related anomalies
M P Person 5
D ocumatica R esearch, LLC
How this report is organized
T his report consists of the present overview proposal and three appendices (two of which 
summarize previously-published work). T ogether, these four documents describe a consistent 
methodology for the capture, processing and retrieval of parameters characterizing unusual 
aerial phenomena and related anomalies. T he appendices address three specific 
implementation areas, describing the technical choices we have made in each area and the 
reasons for these choices:
- A . Classification methodology and reliability measures for reported sightings
- B. M odeling of information categories, including high-strangeness data elements
- C. D ata S tructures and S oftware Platforms in support of A erial Phenomena R esearch
G iven the tools described hereafter, some of which have already been implemented and tested 
in prototype form in the course of prior research, we examine several scenarios for the long­
term acquisition, exploitation and maintenance of a comprehensive data warehousing system 
that could serve the needs of a geographically diverse research community with a wide variety 
of information needs.
Historical Background
A s we undertake this work we are building on a series of projects developed by many groups 
around the world, whose experiences contain important lessons. Over the last half century 
many researchers, both professional and amateurs, have undertaken to build catalogues (either 
on paper or in computer readable form) or data bases about the range of phenomena that 
interest us.
• A s early as 1953, the U . S . A ir Force entrusted the Battelle M emorial Institute with the 
task of analyzing the reports that Project “Blue Book” had accumulated. Battelle used 
punched cards for this work, developed a coding system, and produced extensive 
statistics presented in Blue Book “R eport 14.” U nfortunately this work was not 
pursued and the cards were not kept.
• Following the Battelle study the A ir Force never built a computer catalogue of Project 
Blue Book files, but the author and his wife compiled their own version of it using
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1843(a)(2)
punched cards following a data scheme that had been first used in France in 1962 and 
expanded at the U niversity of T exas and at Northwestern U niversity in the period 
1963-1967, T his catalogue served as the source of a series of statistical studies that 
were published in several works
• Our database, which included all unidentified cases from Project Blue Book, was 
turned over to the Condon study al the U niversity of Colorado in 1968 and eventually 
formed the basis for the catalogue (now known as U FOCA T ) directed by 1843(a)(2) 
^. jjyj catalogue ^ been greatly expanded and is now maintained by the
CU FOS  organization 1843(a)(2) 
interference cases, andl 1843(a)(2)
separately developed a catalogue of vehicle 
compiled all known cases of physical traces.
• In 1968 the author compiled and published the M agonia catalogue, a list of over 700 
close encounter cases (landings) reported between 1868 and 1968,
• Other groups, such as M U FON, have started to compile their own computer files, and
A A P Person 8 assembled a catalogue of physiological effects.
In the 1980s an independent researcher 1843(a)(2) 
U NICA T  in collaboration with 1843(a)(2)
developed a catalogue called
S everal independent projects have been implemented around the world since that time
• In the U nited S tates 1843(a)(2) |a private researcher working alone, developed a 
popular scheme to be run on PC platforms under D OS . His catalogue eventually 
reached almost 20,000 entries.
• In France the G EPA N (now G EiPA N) group under the CNES , implemented an 
A CCES S database available to a “College of Experts” under password access control 
on the Internet. T he system maintains the full text of over 3,000 official reports to the 
French G endarmerie, in the form of scanned images. It is embedded in an online 
collaboration system that gives experts access to maps, G oogle Earth views, 
photographs and videos. Note that both the G EiPA N database and U FOCA T  treat 
every report of a given case as a separate entry (if five witnesses in separate locations 
report sighting the same object, there are five entries in the file), while other 
catalogues, like the Hatch catalogue, give a single entry per sighting.
A lso in France a database of pilot sightings has been built by 1843(a)(2) 
1843(a)(2) ]fhe file uses EX CEL and a set of special codes to facilitate retrieval. Every 
case has been scrupulously re-analyzed and transcribed. A  larger set of pilot data, as
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well as specific investigation files, are maintained by the NA R CA P group under 
1843(a)(2)
.1843(a)(2)
In recent years, easy access to personal computers and the Internet has made it much easier 
for interested groups to start their own files. T here are at least 30 active catalogue at various 
points of development, with obvious overlap and widely-varying standards. S pecial 
catalogues exist for material trace analysis, abduction claims, ancient sightings, and also for 
particular countries or regions. S everal groups are active through closed Internet conferences 
and have begun to develop and exchange information through wikis in various languages. 
Furthermore, the range of available data sources has been expanded as countries like the U .K . 
and S pain followed the example of the U .S . Project Blue Book in releasing their declassified 
files, although not in an organized, structured computer-readable format.
Lack of data validation and lack of standards has impeded progress among the researchers 
responsible for these databases. It is natural for people who have recently become aware of 
the field to launch into their own implementation of a file of selected cases in the hope of 
rapidly “solving” some of the problems raised by this puzzling phenomenon, U nfortunately, 
they rarely have the financial wherewithal or professional staff necessary to conduct field 
investigations or even elementary checks on the validity of the information they collect.
A s time goes on, unfortunately, this reinventing of the wheel fails to generate new results. 
Every group has implemented its own way of indexing, which makes it impractical, if not 
impossible, to exchange data Furthermore, these groups have often used software techniques 
that were overly complex and hindered research and ease of access instead of promoting it: 
T hese catalogues rely on ambitious coding systems that demand large editing and updating 
efforts. A s the implementers get older and are constrained by family or professional 
requirements they tend to move on and lose interest, and the files get abandoned for lack of 
trained staff to maintain the overall structure.
1. Implementation requirements
T he new system to be developed needs (1) to support a family of catalogues of observations 
of unusual aerial phenomena whose nature or behavior suggest the presence of an 
unrecognized threat, (2) to be up and running within a short time, (3) to extend the search for 
such data to as many relevant regions of the world as possible to find out what knowledgeable 
researchers or authorities in those regions possess about such phenomena and (4) to allow 
sophisticated analyses and datamining to improve our own understanding of the extent, 
structure, and frequency of such events, as well as their potential correlation to known 
physical, environmental, biological or socio-political factors.
T he project should avoid the major pitfalls identified above. It should not require any special 
hardware or network scheme. It has to serve a closed community of physicists and analysts
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with the need to test certain theories (and counter-theories) about the nature of the phenomena 
involved. T herefore the work cannot be limited to data acquisition, indexing and storage but 
extends to the essential tasks of dynamic data validation and of providing the ability for users 
in the project environment to apply their own interactive screens against the data.
T he project should also be of service in contacting experts in other countries to validate 
certain findings from our teams and “drill down” deeper into certain hypotheses, archives or 
interesting sites around the world. T herefore it should be accessible anywhere through the 
Internet (under password protection when applicable).
T he software should make it easy to convert existing data into a single standard structure, to 
search for specific natural language expressions or keywords, to sort according to specific 
criteria and to support statistical tables and graphs.
T he system also must empower a community of researchers to propose and test their own 
hypotheses. S uch testing is not possible today: A lthough many interesting theories have been 
advanced, they are limited by the poor selection of physical and social data available to us. 
T he phenomenon is so diverse that any theory of it can be proven, provided one is free to 
select the “right” observations - and ignore the rest! T his is not good science, but in the 
absence of reliable data bases this selection bias is unavoidable T he large, scientifically- 
based effort that is contemplated here cannot afford to repeat the mistakes that, unfortunately, 
characterize the field.
In summary, in order to accomplish all this, the system has to be portable, frugal, easily 
implemented on various computer platforms, without the need for a dedicated system team for 
maintenance or special programming.
2. Recommended platform(s) and structure
G iven the variety of data sources we do not believe it is practical to design a single, massive 
chronological catalogue for sightings of unidentified phenomena Nor is it practical to merge 
existing databases together since every one of them has its own social, demographic and 
cultural bias, and serves its own community and type of research (e.g., on pilot cases, on trace 
analysis, on vehicle interference, etc.) Instead we propose a data warehousing system that 
supersedes the individual databases, using a standard structure and coding system over the set 
of files.
In contrast to the patchwork of databases mentioned above, we propose to assemble a small 
specialized team and to train its members in data acquisition, data validation and quality 
control, using only standard, commercially-available software for storage and analysis as first 
step to reach rapid implementation.
W e believe that this can be accomplished using a standard M icrosoft package such as 
EX CEL, which is widely available (even on A pple computers) and benefits from a large
M P
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population already trained in its use A lthough EX CEL is not a database system, it has some 
advantages over A CCESS or other software in our case because it makes it very easy to find, 
sort, replace and tabulate significant amounts of data among a set of flat files.
W e have mentioned above that many private efforts in this field have suffered from over- 
ambitious schemes and coding systems that were too complex. T hey also contain an
■-----------■— — --------------:-------------—
DATA W AREHOUSE
Figure 1 : D ata W arehouse concept
embedded bias as a consequence of the beliefs of those compiling the data, usually under the 
(unstated) assumption that all cases involve spacecraft from extraterrestrial origin, to the 
exclusion of any other hypothesis In the three appendices below we propose a series of 
simple conventions that minimize such bias and can be applied widely across the various 
datasets.
It should be noted that the total number of available cases that have given rise to sighting 
reports is estimated to number only about 100,000 Even if we double or triple this number,
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the resulting file is a small one by the standards of modem databases, and it does not require a 
sophisticated software system for editing and searching.
T his framework, in our estimation, will be useful in supporting the various projects 
contemplated by BA A S S over the first two years. W hen the size and quality of the available 
files reaches maturity, the project may wish to revisit the implementation scheme and extend 
it through a more sophisticated collaboration system that would integrate instant messaging 
and electronic mail as part of its structure. A nother useful extension of CA PELLA  would be 
the implementation of an artificial intelligence screening program (using a rules-based engine) 
that would simplify the work of the analysts and prioritize assignments to field investigation 
teams. However, such undertakings are not needed at the beginning and would only distract 
the staff from the immediate practical objectives of the project. It would require the addition 
of computer resources and personnel that are not needed in the initial stages
3. Priorities in data capture
T he most direct way to test the proposed system is to implement it using already-available 
data such as the NID S catalogue, developed in the 1990s b^A A P Person 7 | -----
A A P Person | | and their colleagues in Las V egas. A ppendix C contains an example of such
implementation S ince the original data is still available, converting it into the proposed 
format could be a straightforward way to train the new staff and test the system
A nother effort that could be started immediately involves the capture of new information in 
raw form. For instance the project could decide that, starting on January 1“, 2009, all cases 
coming to the knowledge of BA A S S would be recorded in the new format by a staff person 
dedicated to this task T his person (a data analyst) would continue to maintain paper files and 
folders (to keep newspaper articles, photographs etc.) but would also enter the highlights of 
the case into a CA PELLA  file.
T hese two efforts assume that a basic computer facility will be in place at BA A S S . It is 
expected that it will use the same secure servers already installed for other user groups, and 
would take advantage of network-attached storage for back-up, etc. thus minimizing initial 
expense. T he data project itself does not require an elevated system of security as long as 
access can be controlled by the database administrator
In connection with the building of the full data warehouse, a separate effort needs to be 
initiated towards an extensive literature review, with books and reports available in the major 
languages. Internet links to selected remote experts need to be in place to facilitate quality 
assurance, consistency of data and access to photographs, videos and other items of interest.
A A P Person 
..58.......
Zap
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4. A ccess to Foreign and Private Catalogues
A part from capturing new data and converting the existing NID S files, there is a need for 
integrating as many of the available catalogues as possible under the CA PELLA  framework. 
S ome of these files are publicly available, or are likely to be made available by authors 
interested in collaborating with BA A S S , but other catalogues are jealously guarded or covered 
by intellectual property agreements restricting their use. In such cases it will be necessary to 
review the legal rules governing access and data conversion. T hese catalogues usually contain 
information obtained from published sources and cannot claim ownership of each case, only 
its representation in a computer format. T o the extent that the same information can be 
converted by BA A SS into a new format, and is not used in any commercial operation, any 
claims restricting the use of such data is debatable. T his question should be examined on a 
case-by-case basis with the owners of the catalogues
A  major decision to be made by BA A S S concerns the external visibility of the CA PELLA  
effort. W hile it is entirely conceivable to keep it as an in-house effort, if only to prevent leaks 
of private information such as the names of witnesses or the conclusions reached by BA A S S 
about certain cases, one can also argue for releasing the data structure used by CA PELLA  and 
inviting other groups to use it in their own work. (S imilarly our system of codification and 
reliability indicators was published in several languages years ago, and the 
model in six layers has also been widely reviewed and translated). It would be aservice to the
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58..
field in general to publish our standards and to stimulate others to bring data to the surface in 
a format that was easily usable by everyone.
In connection with this phase of the work we would undertake two trips to present the project 
and its methods to knowledgeable researchers with their own databases in W estern Europe, 
with initial emphasis on France, S witzerland, S pain and Italy where such catalogues are 
known to exist. T his could later be extended to S candinavia, G ermany, R ussia and the U .K . 
and (in a later stage) to other continents. W e would expect the CA PELLA  project to facilitate 
access to and serious discussion with responsible managers at the level of industry and foreign 
governments
5. Personnel
In the above presentation we have identified three important roles, namely:
(i) A  database administrator whose job is to decide which catalogues need to be 
integrated into the data warehousing structure, to maintain the consistency of the 
information, to insure the security and integrity of the files, to verify that regular 
backups are properly executed and kept, and to make the information easily 
accessible by the user community, including over the Internet. T his person also needs 
to be in charge of access priorities, permissions and passwords. He or she will be 
expected to have a sound background in data processing with knowledge of 
networking standards and notions of programming, but he or she does not need to be a
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systems expert or computer scientist. Experience in serving a diverse community 
(such as a campus or multi-site company such as a bank) would be most useful.
(ii) A  data analyst who captures incoming data and reduces it intelligently to summary 
text. T his person will need to interview witnesses on the phone and to interface with 
authors of external catalogues. He or she will need to be neat, very well organized, 
able to maintain a paper-based riling system as a back-up. G eneral knowledge of 
standards for maps, weather reports and military and civilian aviation systems will be 
useful. T his person could come from the military or from a major company, possibly 
as administrative assistant to an international manager.
S oon after the start of implementation we need to add:
(hi) A  quality control coordinator who can challenge the information in the rile, verify 
sources and codes, and check that all available information has been captured. T his 
person should be an independent thinker with a good eye for noticing mistakes and 
inconsistencies. He or she could come from many backgrounds, such as copy-editing, 
paralegal, or technical work where close inspection is mandatoiy. M ost importantly, 
this person must not report to others in the data warehouse team and must be 
protected from criticism when challenging the integrity of the data in the files.
In the second year the project needs to be completed with the addition of
(iv) A  statistician in charge of pattern analysis, data extraction for specific studies and 
reports, and advanced datamining. T his person should have at least an M .S degree in 
statistics and practical experience with hard field data (as opposed to economics, 
marketing or astronomy). Experience in geology, ecology, medicine (epidemiology) 
or other field involving sparse data sets with high variability will be helpful.
(v) A  second data analyst  in the large extant literature of aerial phenomena 
T his person would review the books and reports compiled over the last 50 years, 
including files released by various governments (the U .K ., S pain, France and others) 
in order to improve the quality and consistency of the CA PELLA  files. T his person 
must have knowledge of foreign languages such as French and S panish in addition to 
English. His or her background could be in library science, indexing or publishing, 
with a keen interest in literature research and impeccable mastery of reference 
systems and international library search techniques.
 specialized
A s a team the members of this group should be encouraged to review the cases on file and 
critique them, looking for missing data elements or inconsistencies in the information. In this 
author’s experience, such mistakes are frequent and they naturally pollute any statistical 
result or physical theory developed on the basis of the system. S uch collective review 
sessions would be the best training process for the group and would enhance its contribution 
to BA A S S as a whole.
W hether or not members of this group should be cleared is open to question. M ost of the 
information on file will be from open sources and only sensitive in terms of individual
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privacy, unless BA A S S has special access to recent military data. It would also be useful to 
setup a policy on foreign access. T here are centers of excellence in this field outside the 
U nited S tates, notably in France and S pain. Establishing a channel of collaboration with the 
individuals there could be highly beneficial to BA A S S , if it is consistent with the group’s 
security requirements.
6. Budget estimates
A t this point we can only give a rough estimate (+ or - 30% ) of the expense involved. T he 
following assumes that the team uses an already-established, secure system of servers internal 
to BA A S S , professionally-maintained. It also assumes that offices and basic furniture are 
already in place.
First Year
T hree (3) persons at $120,000 fully-loaded average salary $ 360,000 
Computer equipment: 5 desktop computers + 5 laptops ... $ 40,000 
S oftware packages.............................................................. $ 5,000
D ata acquisition (internal).................................................. $ 20,000
Communications, local travel, meetings............................ $ 70,000
Filing systems, supplies, projection system, media....... $ 15,000
External contracts for information gathering .................. $ 100,000
$610,000
Second Year
Five (5) persons at $120,000 fully-loaded average salary $ 600,000
Computer hardware/software updates.............................. $ 10,000
Communications, travel, meetings.................................... $ 80,000
D atamining and analysis software........................................$ 20,000
D ata acquisition (internal)................................................... $ 20,000
External contracts for information gathering.................... $ 100,000
$ 830,000
A A P------
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A ppendix A
A  System of Classification and Reliability Indicators 
for the A nalysis of the Behavior 
of U nidentified A erial Phenomena
A A P Person 5
When taced with hundreds or even thousands of reports of unusual aerial phenomena, no 
serious researcher can undertake any study or hazard any hypothesis before analyzing the 
patterns buried in the reports. T hese patterns only reveal themselves when the witnesses* 
accounts are classified into major categories whose prevalence and recurrence can then be 
computed. T his is a time-consuming task that demands a great deal of rigor, which explains 
why so few research organizations have done it consistently. In our own work, we have used 
such classification systems for many years, in the context of very different data sets. We 
have learned from early mistakes, and this effort has led us to propose the current scheme 
based on the reported behavior of the phenomenon under observation. T he purpose of this 
paper is to clarify the system and its practical use.
Background
A ny classification system for anomalous reports needs to start from the observed behavior of the 
phenomenon rather than any subjective feature special to the observer. A t the same time, the 
classification system must be able to support the testing of hypotheses by researchers coming 
from “skeptical" as well as “proponent” positions with respect to popular interpretations of the 
phenomena in question. A nd it must not presuppose any particular theory.
T o my knowledge, the first classification system of this type that was applied to unidentified 
aerial phenomena grew out of my work in 1961 and 1962 with and 1843(a)(2) 
1843(a) in p^ [ proposed to separate the massive collections of French sightings - notably 
those from the 1954 wave - into four major categories. Briefly summarized, they encompassed 
the following:
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Appendix A page 1


1843(a)(2)
T ype I, which was further divided into three subgroups, gathered all the “landing” reports that ." 
1843(a)(2) would later call “close encounters." Il may be hard for the modern reader to
realize that until the late S ixties, A merican ufology did not admit that such reports existed. 
, ----- 11843(a)(2)A mong the major civilian organizations, only A PR O, headed up by|and 1843(a)(2)
recognized their significance. T he A ir Force’s Project Blue Book automatically sent landing
reports into the psychological file.
T ype II reports were observations of the “cloud cigars” so prevalent in Europe in 1954, and 
whose apparent role in the development of major waves had been pointed out by 1843(a)(2)
(+). S uch reports became rare in the following years, and there is no longer a justification for this
category.
T ype III reports involved objects that exhibited a discontinuity in their trajectory; either they 
stopped and hovered, or they came towards the ground with a falling leaf motion before resuming 
their flight, or they performed some other maneuver that identified a specific point in space and 
time. Illis was important for us at the time because we were compiling a catalogue with 
longitudes and latitudes, recorded with as much precision as possible.
T ype IV , by contrast, gathered all cases of objects in uninterrupted flight. T his classification 
served its purpose for many years. It enabled us to uncover specific time and space patterns for 
various types of behavior, notably the “law of the times" for landing reports.
1843(a)(2) c]assjflcation
1843(a)(2)
In 1972, on the basis of the work we had done together since the mid-sixtiesJ built upon
my earlier classification when he proposed (*) to divide all reports into two groups: the short­
range sightings which corresponded to my ‘T ype I” and which he called Close Encounters
1843(a)(2)
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(aterm later immortalizedby1843(a)(2) i; and the objects observed “at some distance,
which he further divided into three categories:
NL for Nocturnal Lights 
D D  for D aylight D isks 
R V  for R adar-visual
1843(a)(2) was wen aware that these divisions were arbitrary, and he remarked himself that the 
categories “may not be mutually exclusive." 'D ie major contribution of 1843(3) classification
was the clarity with which “landings" were now defined:
CE1 was the class of objects seen on the ground or close to die ground
CE2 was the class of cases where physical effects or traces were reported 
CE3 was the class of reports where “occupants” or “entities” were present, a 
category from which he excluded claims of repeated contact.
T hese definitions have stood the test of time. In recent years a new category has been invented. 
Called CE4, it encompasses the abduction reports in which the witness claims not only to have 
seen occupants but to have extensively interacted with them inside their vehicle or craft. R adier 
than taking an abduction claim as our reference, we prefer to use the term “reality 
transformation.”
S erious complications arise, however, when one tries to use1843(a)
12} categories of nocturnal
lights, daylight disks and radar-visual cases, especially when the screening process works from a 
computerized database, as it needs to do in any sophisticated effort to attack the problem. Not
only do these categories overlap (a “disk" may be seen in daylight and also tracked on radar, for 
instance) but many reports cannot be placed into any of these classes: W hat happens if an object
is seen at night, but is not a light? Or when an object seen in daylight is not shaped like a disk? 
W hat about reports of objects seen at dusk or dawn?
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5 Appendix A page 3


T he work we have done in recent years with four parallel computer catalogues has led us to 
suggest a practical solution to the problem.
A  Classification System based on the Behavior of the Phenomenon
T he major flaw in previous classification systems is that they take as their basis the position of 
the observer, which is arbitrary and changing, rather than the reported behavior of the
phenomenon from which one could draw important conclusions in tenns of patterns. In other
words, it may be interesting to know that a particular witness described a disk while another saw 
a triangle or a square, but this is a purely subjective item that is a function of the percipient, not a
behavioral attribute of the phenomenon: one person’s “disk” is another person’s “ball of light.” It 
is more relevant to know such stable facts as whether or not the object presented a discontinuity
in flight or came close to the ground, items for which there is more consistent agreement.
A nother flaw in existing systems is that they are too complicated and require constant reference 
to codebooks with overly-detailed definitions that are time consuming and enor-prone. In order 
to encompass the full range of phenomena one finds in the reports from witnesses, it is important
to acknowledge that what most people call “U FOs” are related in significant ways to other
anomalies. It is the rule, rather than the exception, to find the observation of a flying object 
preceded or followed by other unusual phenomena. For that reason, I find it useful to begin with a
classification of A nomalies that parallels 1843(a) 112) close encounter designations:
A N1 events are anomalies like amorphous lights or unexplained explosions in the sky, that do 
not have lasting physical effects.
A N2 reports involve lasting physical effects, such as poltergeist phenomena, anomalous 
photographs, flattened grass or “apports."
A N3 cases are anomalies with associated entities. T his could involve reports of ghosts and 
instances of crytozoology, or even “spirits.”
A N4 designates those anomalous reports in which witnesses describe personal interaction with 
entities in the reality of the entities themselves. T his includes near-death experiences, 
claims of religious visions and some cases of out-of-body experiences.
A A P Person 5 Appendix A page 4


Finally, we place under A N5 the cases in which anomalous injuries or deaths are reported, such 
as unexplained wounds or spontaneous combustion. Claims of permanent healings would also fit 
within this category.
W e now come to the U FO reports themselves, which we will divide, following ^^^
into close encounters and distant sightings.
W e see no reason to change anything to the classification of close encounters that is in current 
use, from CE1 to CE4, although ~843^a^^^ ~|was not responsible for creating the CE4 category 
and was not especially happy with this extension of his work. In recent years the need has arisen 
for a new category, CE5, which encompasses cases of close encounters in which the witnesses 
have suffered permanent injury or other physiological or pathological effects.
Naturally, in introducing these classes of items, we make no assumption regarding the reality of 
the phenomenon as described by the witnesses, and we do not presuppose any physical 
explanation.
T he distant sightings will be classified according to the apparent behavior of the object under 
two general categories, namely M A  for “maneuver” and FB for “flyby.” W ithin these categories, 
the sub definitions follow those of close encounters.
M aneuvers
M A I gathers those observations that involve an object with a discontinuous trajectory such as a 
drop, a maneuver, a hovering stop, or a loop.
M A 2 includes those cases that give rise to physical effects in addition to a discontinuity in 
trajectory. For instance, an official French report described an object that hovered close to 
a town’s photocell, triggering an extinction of the street lighting system.
M A 3 contains the cases of objects with discontinuous trajectories when beings are observed on 
board.
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Appendix A page 5


M A 4 covers instances of maneuvers accompanied by a sense of transformation of reality for the 
percipient.
M A 5 involves reports of permanent injury or death related to a maneuvering object in the sky.
Flybys
T he classification continues with the “Flyby” cases:
FBI is a simple sighting of an unexplained object “flying by” in the sky without discontinuity. It 
is the most-frequently reported category.
FB2 involves cases of flyby with physical evidence, such as a recorded sound or radar tracking.
FB3 gathers cases of flyby where report of an object is accompanied by the observation of beings 
on board. A lthough rare, this type of sighting is occasionally reported.
FB4 represents a flyby in connection with which the witness claims he or she has undergone a 
transformation of reality.
FB5 has to do with cases where witnesses of a flyby suffer serious injuries, as in the well- 
documented “Cash-Landrum" medical incident near Houston, T exas, where two women and 
a boy were hurt as an unexplained, very bright object flew above them without stopping.
T hese four major categories, with their five variants, define a very simple system of 20 codes 
that are easy to remember and to handle statistically since very little overlap can occur among the 
categories. A n additional benefit of a behavior-based classification system for the analyst is 
found in the fact that certain hypotheses to explain the observations are specific to each category. 
For instance, FB events should be examined for explanations involving meteors or airplanes, 
which are unlikely to apply to CE cases.
T he SV P Credibility Rating
No classification system is complete without a way of assigning credibility or “weight” to an 
observation. W hile such a procedure is an integral part of any intelligence evaluation, U FO
A A P Person
5 Appendix A page 6


researchers have rarely applied it in support of their work. (A  notable exception is the “quality
index” proposed by S panish researchers!184313^2^ 
for practical use on large databases.)
and 1843
(a)(2)
but it may be too detailed
T he system needs to be simple enough to be applied quickly, and with enough mnemonic value to 
insure it does not require constant reference to a thick codebook.
In our own work we now use a simple, three-digit code to indicate the weight of a U FO report. 
Each of the three digits has a value from zero to four, as follows:
T he first digit, “S " indicates the reliability of the source:
0 is used for an unknown source, or an unreliable source
1 is for a report attributed to a source of unknown reliability
2 is from a credible source, second hand
3 is from a credible source, first hand
4 is a firsthand personal interview with the witness, by a source of proven reliability
T he second digit, “V ” indicates whether or not a site visit took place:
0 is used when there was no site visit, or the answer is unknown
1 indicates a visit by a casual person unfamiliar with such phenomena
2 flags a site visit by a personal familiar with the range of phenomena
3 is a site visit by a reliable investigator with some experience
4 indicates a site visit by a skilled analyst
T he third digit, “P" indicates the probability of natural explanations:
0 is used when the data is consistent with one or more natural causes
1 means that a natural explanation only requires slight alteration of the data
2 means that a natural explanation would demand gross alteration of one parameter
3 means that a natural explanation demands gross alteration of several parameters
4 means that no natural explanation is possible, given the evidence
Appendix A page 7
a
A A P Person 5


T hus a rating of 222 or better (meaning that each of the three digits is 2 or higher) indicates 
events reported through a reliable source, in which a site visit has been made, and where a 
natural explanation would require the gross alteration of at least one parameter.
Equipped with this reliability code and the classification described above, it is possible to start 
making sense of the patterns extracted from the mass of unusual aerial phenomena reports.
T his system has been used by several studies, notably by CU FOS in their U FOCA T  catalogue, 
by the National Institute for D iscovery S cience (NID S ) in its private database, and by the French
study of pilot sightings conducted by 1843(a)(2) in connection witli tire G EIPA N
(G roupe d’Etudes et d’Information sur les Phdnomdnes A driens Non-identifids) and the CNES in 
Paris.
T hus it is becoming possible to compare statistical data in cross-indexing among several 
databases, a significant first step towards international cooperation in the study of this puzzling 
phenomenon.
1843(a)(2)
A A P Person 5
Appendix A page 8


A ppendix B
A  six-layer model for A nomalous Phenomena: 
Incommensurability, Orthodoxy and the Physics of Consciousness
andA A P Person 58A A P Person 5
A bstract
T he main argument presented in this paper is that the continuing study of unidentified 
aerial phenomena (“U A P”) may offer an existence theorem for new models of physical 
reality. T he current SET ! paradigm and its “assumption of mediocrity” place restrictions 
on forms of non-human intelligence that may be researched. A similar bias exists in the 
ufologists' often-stated hypothesis that U A P, if real, must represent space visitors. 
Observing that both models are biased by anthropomorphism, the authors attempt to 
clarify the issues surrounding “high strangeness” observations by distinguishing six layers 
of information that can be derived from U A P events, namely (1) physical manifestations, 
(2) anti-physical effects, (3) psychological factors, (4) physiological factors, (5) psychic 
effects and (6) cultural effects. In a further step they propose a framework for scientific 
analysis of unidentified aerial phenomena that takes into account the incommensurability 
problem.
(*) Based on a presentation at the Forum on “S cience, R eligion and Consciousness” at the 
U niversity Fernando Pessoa, Porto (Portugal) 24 October 2003.
A A P Person 
58
A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 1


T he Challenge of High Strangeness
T he rational study of reported cases of U nidentified A erospace Phenomena (U A P) is currently at 
an impasse. T his situation has as much to do with the incomplete state of our models of physical 
reality as it does with the complexity of the data. A  primary objection to the reality of U A P 
events among scientists is that witnesses consistently report objects whose seemingly absurd
behavior “cannot possibly" be related to actual phenomena, even under extreme conditions. 
S keptics insist that intelligent extraterrestrial (ET I) visitors simply would not perpetrate such 
antics as are reported in the literature. T his argument can be criticized as an anthropocentric, 
self-selected observation resulting from our own limited viewpoint as 21st century Homo 
S apiens trying to draw conclusions about the nature of the universe. Nonetheless, the high 
strangeness of many reports must be acknowledged.
A dvocates of U A P reality, on the other hand, generally claim that the Extra-T errestrial 
Hypothesis (ET H) centered on interstellar travelers from extrasolar systems visiting the Earth is 
the most likely explanation for the objects and the entities associated with them. T his argument, 
too, can be challenged on the basis of the witnesses’ own testimony: U fologists have consistently 
ignored or minimized reports of seemingly absurd U A P behaviors that contradict the ET H, by
selectively extracting data that best fits their agenda or version of the ET H. T hus the ET H, just 
like the skeptical argument, is based on anthropocentric self-selection A A P Person 5 Here we 
are witnessing an interesting overlap between the S ET I and U A P paradigms: each excludes 
consideration of the other when laying claim to the legitimate search for and contact with
i
potential non-human intelligence.
In the view of the authors, current hypotheses are not strange enough to explain the facts of the 
phenomenon, and the debate suffers from a lack of scientific information. Indeed, from the 
viewpoint of modem physics, our Cosmic Neighborhood could encompass other (parallel) 
universes, extra spatial dimensions and other time-like dimensions beyond the common 4­
dimensional spacetime we recognize, and such aspects could lead to rational explanations for 
apparently “incomprehensible" behaviors on the part of visitors to our perceived continuum. A s 
it attempts to reconcile theory with observed properties of elementary particles and with 
discoveries at the frontiers of cosmology, modern physics suggests that mankind has not yet 
discovered all of the universe’s facets, and we must propose new theories and experiments in
.A A P Person 58 anaA A P Person
5
Physics of High Strangeness page 2


order to explore these undiscovered facets. This is why continuing study of reported UAP 
events is important: It may provide us with an existence theorem for new models of physical 
reality.
M uch of the recent progress in cosmological concepts is directly applicable to the U A P 
problem: T raversable wormholes (3-dimensional hypersurface tunnels) have now been derived
from Einstein’s G eneral T heory of R elativity 1843(aK 2) In
particular, it has been shown that Einstein’s G eneral T heory of R elativity does not in any way 
constrain spacetime topology, which allows for wormholes to provide traversable connections 
between regions within two separate universes or between remote regions and/or times within 
the same universe. M athematically it can also be shown that higher-dimensional wormholes can
provide hypersurface connections between multidimensional spaces1843(a)(2)
R ecent quantum gravity programs have explored this property in superstring theory, along with 
proposals to theoretically and experimentally examine macroscopic-scale extra-dimensional
spaces T hus it is now widely acknowledged that the nature of our
universe is far more complex than observations based on anthropocentric self-selection portend. 
In this respect, ufologists and S ET I researchers appear to be righting a rear-guard battle. Botli 
suffer from identical limitations in the world view they bring to their own domains, and to their 
antagonism.
A nthropocentric Bias in the SET I and L  A P Paradigms
T he anthropocentric biases in the S ET I program are evident in the present search paradigm. 
Historically the founders of S ET I defined the search paradigm from a series of complex 
arguments and assumptions that led to the creation of a “S ET I orthodox view” of interstellar 
communication while applying the “assumption of mediocrity" to our known present 
technological capabilities 1843(aH2)
T his approach was predicated on the notion that it was economically cheaper and 
technologically easier to generate and receive radio-wave photons for interstellar signaling rather 
than engage manned interstellar travel or robotic probes. Indeed the latter was considered 
economically and technologically improbable within the “S ET I orthodox view". T his has led to
andA A P Person 
58A A P Person
5
Physics of High Strangeness pageS


four decades of the S ET I program following a dominantly radio/microwave (R M W ) oriented 
search scheme.
G iven the failure of this initial approach, in the last two decades alternative S EII programs 
have been proposed. T hey exploit coherent laser optical/IR  (COSET I), holographic signals and 
worldwide web detection schemes, as well as ideas to search for ET I artifacts (S ET A , or 
and visiting probes (S ET V , V =visitation) in the solar system or on Earthastroarchaeology)
1843(a)(2)
1843(a)(2)
T here are new proposed search schemes based on the application of high-energy (particle) 
physics detection, such as modulated neutrino beams. X -rays, gamma rays, and cosmic rays, etc. 
Other search schemes propose looking for artificially generated excess radiation emissions from 
astronomical bodies in space or for high-energy radiation starship exhaust trails 
1843(a)(2)
T hese new programs have been at odds with members of the dominant R M W -S ET I program, 
possibly because of concern over having to share scarce resources or compete with other non- 
R M W  programs for the very limited private funding available for overall S ET I research.
T he community of U A P researchers is also driven by its own orthodoxy, which is only violated 
at great personal risk to the critic who proposes a deviant view, and by its own “principle of 
mediocrity” when attempting to categorize and hypothesize explanations for the phenomenon. 
For this reason we prefer to use the term “U A P” rather than the more common “U FO”, which is 
immediately associated with the idea of space visitors in the mind of the public and media. Yet a 
bridge could be formed between the disparate S ET I and U FOlogy communities if both would 
only recognize a simple fact: No experiment can distinguish between phenomena manifested 
by visiting interstellar (arbitrarily advanced) ETI and intelligent entities that may exist near 
Earth within a parallel universe or in different dimensions, or who are (terrestrial) time 
travelers.
Each of these interesting possibilities can be manifested via the application of the physical 
principle of traversable wormholes since they theoretically connect between two different 
’universes, two remote' space' locations, "different times and dimensions 1843(a)(2)
T raversable wormholes are but one example of new physical tools that are available or on the 
horizon for consideration of interuniversal, interstellar, interdimensional or chronological travel.
A A P Person
5
Physics of High Strangeness page 4


T his leads the present authors to speculate that a new synthesis can be found by examining the 
full context of the U A P phenomenon -- including its apparently “absurd" characteristics - in 
terms of a six-layer model. T he model uses the framework of the incommensurability problem 
and concepts borrowed from semiotics.
U A P - T he Need for a U nified A pproach
W hat we present here is a new framework for U A P analysis that takes into account the lessons 
from S ET I. In any scientific question it must be possible to ascertain to what extent a 
hypothesis, when tested and proven to be true, actually “explains" the observed facts. In the case 
of U A P, however, as in physics generally, a hypothesis may well be “proven true” while an 
apparently contradictory hypothesis is also proven true. T hus the hypothesis that the 
phenomenon of light is caused by particles is true, but so is the opposite hypothesis that it is 
caused by waves. W e must be prepared for the time when we will be in a position to formulate 
scientific hypotheses for U A P, and then we may face a similar situation.
T he framework we present here is based on such an apparent contradiction, because we will 
argue that U A P can be thought of both as physical and as “psychic”. W e hope that it will prove 
stimulating as a unified approach to a puzzling phenomenon that presents both undeniable 
physical effects suggesting a technological device or craft and psychic effects reminiscent of the 
literature on poltergeists and psychokinetic phenomena. Here we use the word “psychic" in the 
sense of an interaction between physical reality and human consciousness.
T he feeling of absurdity and contradiction in these two aspects is not worse than scientific 
puzzlement during the particle/wave or, more recently, quantum entanglement and multi­
dimensional transport controversies. T he contradiction has to do with the inadequacy of our 
language to grasp a phenomenon that defies our attempts at classification.
T he Six L ayers of U A P A nalysis
Let us consider the characteristics of the sightings that are not explained by trivial natural 
causes; wc can recognize six major “layers" in terms of our perceptions of these characteristics,
A A P Person 
a™58A A P Person
5
Physics of High Strangeness pageS


as they can be extracted from earlier works about U A P phenomenology1843(a)(2)
or from the current NID S database.
L ayer 1: First of all is the physical layer, evident in most accounts describing an object that:
> occupies a position in space, consistent with geometry
> moves as time passes
> interacts with die environment through thermal effects
> exhibits light absorption and emission from which power output estimates can be derived
> produces turbulence
> when landed, leaves indentations and bums from which mass and energy figures can be 
derived
> gives rise to photographic images
> leaves material residue consistent with Earth chemistry
> gives rise to electric, magnetic and gravitational disturbances
T hus U A P, in a basic physical sense, are consistent with a technology centered on a craft that 
appears to be using a revolutionary propulsion system.
L ayer II: For lack of an adequate term we will call the second layer anti-physical. T he 
variables are the same as those in the previous category but they form patterns that conflict with 
those predicted by modern physics: Objects are described as physical and material but they are
also described as:
> sinking into the ground
> shrinking in size, growing larger, or changing shape on the spot
> becoming fuzzy and transparent on the spot
> dividing into two or more craft, several of them merging into one object at slow speed
> disappearing at one point and appearing elsewhere instantaneously
> remaining observable visually while not detected by radar
> producing missing time or time dilatation
> producing topological inversion or space dilatation (object was estimated to be of small 
exterior size/volume, but witness(s) saw a huge interior many times the exterior size)
> appearing as balls of colored, intensely bright light under intelligent control
A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 6


L ayer III: T he third layer has to do with the psychology of the witnesses and the social 
conditions that surround them. Human observers tend to see U A P while in their normal 
environment and in normal social groupings. T hey perceive the objects as non-conventional but 
they try to explain them away as common occurrences, until faced with the inescapable 
conclusion that the object is truly unknown.
L ayer IV : Physiological reactions are another significant layer of information. T he
phenomenon is reported to cause
> sounds (beeping, buzzing, humming, sharp/piercing whistling, swooshing/air rushing, 
loud/deafening roaring, sound of a storm, etc.)
> vibrations
> burns
> partial paralysis
> extreme heat or cold sensation
> odors (powerful, sweet or strange fragrance, rotten eggs, sulphurous, pungent, musky, 
etc.)
> metallic taste
> pricklings
> temporary blindness when exposed to the objects’ light
> nausea
> bloody nose and/or ears; severe headache
> difficulty in breathing
> loss of volition
> drowsiness in the days following a close encounter
L ayer V : T he fifth category of effects can only be labeled psychic because it involves a class
of phenomena commonly found in the literature of parapsychology, such as
> impressions of communication without a direct sensory channel
> poltergeist phenomena: motions and sounds without a specific cause, outside the 
observed presence of a U A P
> levitation of the witness or of objects and animals in the vicinity
> maneuvers of a U A P appearing to anticipate the witness’ thoughts
> premonitory dreams or visions
> personality changes promoting unusual abilities in the witness
» healing
and
A A P 
PersonA A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 7


L ayer V I: T he sixth category could be called cultural. It is concerned with society’s reactions 
to the reports, the way in which secondary effects (hoaxes, fiction and science-fiction imagery, 
scientific theories, cover-up or exposure, media censorship or publicity, sensationalism, etc.) 
become generated, and the attitude of members of a given culture towards the concepts that U A P 
observations appear to challenge. T he greatest impact of the phenomenon has been on general 
acceptance of the idea of life in space and a more limited, but potentially very significant, change 
in the popular concept of non-human intelligence.
Possible Nature of U A P T echnology
A  framework for scientific hypothesis on the U A P observations can be built on the identification 
(admittedly very coarse) of the six major layers of U A P effects. If we must formulate a view of 
the problem in a single statement at this point, that statement will be:
Everything works as if UAPs were the product of a technology that integrates 
physical and psychic phenomena and primarily affects cultural variables in our 
society through manipulation of physiological and psychological parameters in 
the witnesses.
T his single statement can be developed as follows:
a) T he phenomenon is the product of a technology. D uring the observation, the U A P is a 
real, physical, material object. However, it appears to use either very clever deception or 
very advanced physical principles, resulting in the effects we have called “anti-physical”, 
which must eventually be reconciled with the laws of physics.
b) T he technology triggers psychic effects either purposely or as a side effect of its 
manifestations. T hese consciousness phenomena are now too common to be ignored or
M  Person 58 Physics of High Strangeness page 8
A A P
A A P Person
5


relegated to the category of exaggerated or ill-observed facts. A ll of us who have 
investigated close-range sightings have become familiar with these effects.
c) T he purpose of the technology may be cultural manipulation - possibly but not 
necessarily under control of a form of non-human intelligence - in which case the 
physiological and psychological effects are a means to that end. But the parapsychologist 
with a Jungian framework may argue that the human collective unconscious is also a 
potential source of such effects - without the need to invoke alien intervention.
T he Incommensurability Problem
T he above considerations bring us back to a discussion of the S ET 1 paradigm. M any S ET I 
workers now realize that we cannot be so presumptuous as to assume that ET cultures, 
possessing a cognitive mismatch with us, will behave as humans do in the 21st century. 
S pecifically, there is no reason to restrict them to radio-based communications technology and to 
exclude travel through interstellar space or the sending of automated probes. T hus the 
S ET V /S ET A  program overlaps ET H-based U FOiogy. Both are dedicated to detecting non­
human intelligence on or near the Earth, demonstrating a paradigm shift away from the “S ET I 
orthodox view” and principle of mediocrity.
T he view that ET s and humans may have such divergent ways of conceptualizing the world 
that there can be no mutual understanding is referred to as the “Incommensurability Problem” in 
the S ET I literature1®4^3^) , T he cognitive 
mismatch or Incommensurability Problem between human and ET  cultures will guarantee that 
the latter will develop communication techniques other than radio. ET  cultures may be sending 
radio and optical signals to Earth now but they may also be sending signals in a variety of other 
forms such as holographic images, psychic or other consciousness-related signals, modulated 
neutrinos, gamma ray bursters, wormhole-modulated starlight caustics, signals generated by 
gravitational lensing techniques, modulated X -rays, quantum teleported signals, or some 
quantum field theoretic effect, etc. T he Incommensurability Problem even applies to the 
problem of understanding U A P manifestations within the framework of the ET H.
A t the core of the Incommensurability Problem is the view that no intelligent species can 
understand reality without making certain methodological choices, and that these choices may
______ A A PA A P Person ..I- L^ person 58
5 ... Physics of High Strangeness page 9


vary from civilization to civilization1843(a)(2) If ET s and U A P entities have different
biologies and live in considerably different environments from humans, they may well have
different goals for their science, and radically different criteria for evaluating the success of their
science. T heir explanatory mechanisms, their predictive concerns, their modes of control over
1843(a)(2)
nature might alt be very different, and their means of formulating models of reality should be 
expected to differ drastically from ours
In this regard, there is one additional feature that needs to be mentioned in support of
alternative S ET I paradigms. T he S ET I program’s encryption/decryption emphasis on pictorial 
images or messages is predicated on the assumption that ET s have sight like humans vis-a-vis 
the “S ET I orthodox view” ’“43(a)(2) W e observe that this emphasis is not so much a 
reflection of the primacy of vision in humans, but rather a reflection of the philosophical 
assumptions about the proper means of gaining knowledge. Hence, anthropocentric self­
selection becomes manifest within the S ET I and U FOlogy “orthodox view”.
1843(a)(2) asserts that human reliance on science is based on studying visible
characteristics of objects 1843(a)(2) T he belief that true knowledge must be acquired
from sight originated in the 17th century. T his emphasis on sight led to eliminating the other
senses as potentially valuable sources of scientific information.
W ithout even raising the question of whether ET s or U A P entities can “see”, we may be wise 
not to overestimate the importance of pictorial representations for them. T he same applies for 
ET /U A P transmissions to us. W e can see and gain knowledge by sight, but ET /U A P signals
potentially bombarding the Earth could be misunderstood, unrecognized or undetected because 
we are not employing paradigms involving our other modalities, such as psychic functioning. 
M any examples of this are found in interactions between humans from different cultures 
1843(a)(2)
Because we cannot be certain of the nature of ET /U A P recipients of our deliberate messages 
and they cannot be certain of our nature when sending us their messages a priori, it is difficult to 
construct pictures that will be unambiguous. T o some extent, ET /U A P viewers of our 
pictograms may project characteristics from their own species-specific experiences onto our 
messages, and we certainly project our own species-specific experiences onto their messages. 
T he former may be the cause for the lack of detected ET  signals (save for those 100+ radio and
A A P Person
5
Physics of High Strangeness page 10


optical signals which were not false positives but also not repeated by their source) while the 
latter can be the cause of the current impasse in the study of U A P phenomena.
Semiotics
In his analysis of the communication problem S ET I Institute psychologist 1843(a)(2) 
advocated the application of semiotics, the general theory of signs 1843(a)(2)
has
1843(a)(2) where a sign is something that represents something else, the signified.
For example the words "the coin" might represent the object you hold in your hand.
In interstellar messages, in terms of classical information theory, there is no innate relationship 
between the form of the message and the content borne by the message. Once the information of 
the message is decided upon, an efficient means of encoding it is sought. In this approach, there 
is a purely arbitrary connection between content and form of the message. S emiotic-based 
messages have a wider range of possibilities for relating form and content.
S emioticians categorize signs according to the ways that the sign and signified are related to 
one another. In the association between the sign "the coin" and its signified object, this 
relationship is purely arbitrary. T he sign for this object could have well been “the poofhoffer". 
T his is a purely conventional association. In semiotics, when the association between sign and 
signified is arbitrary, the sign is referred to as a symbol. W ith symbols, there is no intrinsic 
connection between the form of expression (the sign) and the content that is expressed (the 
signified).
T here are alternatives to the arbitrary connection between sign and signified that are seen in 
symbols. One alternative is the icon, a sign that bears a physical resemblance to the signified. 
W ith icons, the form of the message reflects its contents. For example, the profile of the man on 
a modern A merican quarter is an icon for a specific man who was the first President of the 
U nited S tates. W e can also represent the same man with the symbol “G eorge W ashington". In 
the former case, the image of W ashington is an icon because it physically resembles the 
signified. Icons can also be used when the signified is less concrete. For example, the scales of 
justice icon represents the concept of justice because there is similarity between the sign (scales 
that balance two weights) and the signified (concept of justice, which involves a balance between 
transgression and punishment).
A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 11


It is also helpful to realize that icons are not specific to the visual sensory modality. It is 
possible to have a sign that physically resembles the signified in a non visual way. For example, 
the fly S pilomyia hamifera beats its wings at a frequency very close to the wing-beat frequency 
of tire dangerous wasp D olichovespula arenaria. A s a result, when one of these flies is in the 
vicinity of a group of these wasps, the fly gains some immunity from attack by insect-eating 
birds. T he fly's mimicry of the wasps occurs within the auditory modality. It is not attacked by 
would-be predators because it sounds like the wasps. In short, the fly’s defense strategy is based 
on producing an auditory icon, in which the fly’s wing-beating (the sign) physically resembles 
the wing-beat of the wasps (the signified)1843(a)(2)
Icons could function in any sensory modality. G iven that we are not sure which sensory 
modality will be primary for ET s/U A P, a sign for communication that is not reliant on any 
particular sensory modality would be preferable. In S ET I/CET I, electromagnetic radiation is 
used as an iconic representation, allowing a direct communication of concepts (Earth chemistry, 
solar system organization, human D NA , math, geometry, etc.) without encoding the message 
into a format specific to a particular sensory modality. In using icons, the message’s recipients 
are pointed directly toward the phenomena of interest, and not toward our models of these 
phenomena.
From a more complete perspective, the sign and the signified arc in a triadic with the 
interpreter of the relationship. T hus, the similarity that exists between an icon and its referent 
does not exist independently of the intelligence perceiving this similarity. A lthough in iconicity 
there is a natural connection between the sign and the signified, this connection cannot exist 
without intelligence to observe the connection.
U ltimately, the problem of iconicity is that similarity is in the eye of the beholder. A nd 
because we do not know what ET s/UA P are really like, we cannot be sure that what to us seems 
an obvious similarity will be seen as such by an intelligence with a different biology, culture, and 
history, possibly originating in a different universe. T hus, judgment of similarity is not purely 
objective, but is influenced by a variety of factors that impact conventions of interpretation.
andA A P
Person 58A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 12


T he U A P and A bduction Problem
T he aforementioned behavior of U A P is not fundamentally absurd. T his apparent absurdity is 
merely a reflection of the cognitive mismatch or the Incommensurability Problem that exists 
between humans and the phenomenon.
In this particular case, U A P are sending the message and we are the recipients. T he message(s) 
they are sending to us are icons, icons fashioned by the phenomenon and sent to us via various 
sensory modalities. T he difference between our respective cultures, biologies, sensory 
modalities, histories, dimensional existence, physical evolution, models of nature and science, 
etc. is directly responsible for our lack of understanding of the phenomenon and its message. W e 
cannot see what U A P believe to be (iconical) similarities in the message that is intended for us. 
T hese stated differences directly impact our conventions of interpretation in such a way as to 
impair our recognition of the ‘‘similarity” between the sign and the signified contained within the 
icons of the U A P message, further impairing our ability to “sec and understand" the potential 
message.
T he difference between the sensory modalities of U A P entities and humans is responsible for 
our inability to properly detect the U A P message (icons) and correspond with them. T his 
difference may also prevent us from correctly interpreting what their icons are if we do in fact 
recognize them. In this regard, recall that we will project our own species-specific experiences 
onto their icons (messages) thus manifesting the appearance of “absurdity" during the human- 
U A P interaction.
U FO abduction cases may exemplify this, in the sense that the “absurd” activities (or scenes)
concurrent with abduction events could merely be the iconical defense mechanism deployed by
the U A P to protect itself from the victim/subject much like the way S pilomyia hamifera protects
itself from insect eating birds by mimicry.
1843(a)(2) 1^ 1843(a)(2) suggest that ET s/UA P visiting Earth would find it necessary
to hide themselves from our detection mechanisms until they have assessed our technological
layer or potential threat and hazards. T hey would employ an adaptive multi-layer risk program
to avoid danger. Low observable stealth such as simple camouflage through mimicry, which
works well in nature, may be the technique of choice for visiting U A P/ET I experienced in
surveillance 1843<aK 2) Examples of mimicry techniques are U A P/ET I entering the
A A P Person 58A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 13


atmosphere with either the look or trajectory of a meteor or hidden within a meteor shower, 
behaving like dark meteors without the associated optical signature, hiding within an artificial or
natural cloud or a satellite reentry, behaving as pseudo-stars sitting stationary over certain
regions, or mimicking man-made aircraft’s aggregate features 2843(a)(2) A nother possibility
is mimicry techniques employed for the manipulation of human consciousness to induce the
various manifestations of “absurd" interactions or scenery associated with the encounter.
Conclusion
•I
M odern engineering has made us familiar with display technologies that produce three­
dimensional images with color, motion and perspective through physical devices. W e speculate 
that U A P are analogous to these display technologies but utilize a wider range of variables to 
operate on the percipients and, through them, on human culture. T he long time scale and the 
global nature of the effects make it difficult to test hypotheses involving such cultural effects.
S cience fiction has familiarized us with the concept of machines (or beings) projecting an 
image of themselves that systematically confuses observers. One could imagine that U A P 
represent physical craft equipped with the means to interact both with the surrounding 
atmosphere and with the senses of observers in such a way as to convey a false image of their 
real nature. One could argue that such an object could use microwave devices to create 
perceptual hallucinations in the witnesses (including messages that are heard by a single 
individual in a group).
Even such a complex scheme, however, fails to explain all the reported effects and the 
subsequent behavior changes in close-range witnesses. W e must assume something more, the 
triggering of deep-seated processes within their personality. T he question then becomes: to what 
extent are these effects evidence of a purposeful action of the operators? T o answer this 
question, and to test more fully the hypothesis that U A P phenomena are both physical and 
psychic in nature, we need much better investigations, a great upgrading of data quality, and a 
more informed analysis not only of the object being described, but of the impact of the 
observation on the witnesses and their social environment.
A A P Person 58A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 14


References
A A P Person 58
1843(a)(2)
and
A A P Person
58
A A P Person 5
A A P Person
5 Physics of High Strangeness page 15


A ppendix C
Data Structures and Software Platforms 
in support of A erial Phenomena Research: 
Proposed Organization, with examples
A A P Person 5
Documatica Research, L L C
Ilie implementation of data bases for the purpose of research poses unusual challenges for the 
software analyst. W hile an industrial database might consist of millions of items in a rapidly* 
changing transaction environment the data elements arc well-defined and their characteristics 
are fixed. For example, a database of parts for a car company will consist of elements where 
composition, size, weight, price and availability are known at any given time. Furthermore, a 
team of specialists is in charge of maintaining the database and optimizing it for specific 
corporate departments whose requirements have been taken into account at the time of design.
T he situation is very different in research: Not all the questions to be posed can be defined at 
the beginning of design, new elements, or novel ways of characterizing them, may appear in 
the course of the project; there may be different user communities to be served, and even the 
nature of the phenomenon under study may be in question. T he problem of unexplained aerial 
phenomena is of particular complexity, because the database must accommodate not only 
initial hypotheses or mind frames of tlie designers, but those of future groups of users with 
unpredictable requirements S ome of the users may be strong believers in a particular 
interpretation of the data, or they may look for certain patterns, while researchers with 
opposing views (or skeptics) will need to access the same data to creatively challenge their 
colleagues’ conclusions T he design must serve all these needs
In prior work the author and his colleagues have defined a general classification system for 
reports based on the observed behavior of the phenomenon. T his three-digit system was 
adopted years ago by several catalogues, notably by NID S in the 1990s, by U FOCA T  (a 
catalogue of the CU FOS organization) and by 1843(a)(2) in France in support of his
A A P------
Person 5 Appendix C page I


catalogue of pilot sightings. W e propose to use it as one of the elements in the present work 
(see definitions in A ppendix A ).
In the same work we also established an “S V P” code for reliability indicators, tracking (S ) 
the level of the source for the data, (V ) the degree to which the site was visited or inspected 
and (P) the probability for a conventional explanation of the reported facts. T his system is 
also described in detail in A ppendix A .
T he combination of the classification system and the reliability indicators enables a given 
user to define his or her own “screen” to place over the data to select a particular sample or 
subset of interest, or to split a catalogue into parts to be compared statistically against one 
another - an operation that is usually impossible in most extant catalogues because behavior 
and reliability are not clearly indicated
M ore recently, ^A P Person 58 and the author have proposed a six-layer system for the 
analysis of the phenomenon. T his system (given in A ppendix B) separates the various 
elements of the witnesses' narrative into sections that are relevant to specific scientific 
disciplines, from physics to medicine and psychology. A ccordingly, the data structure we 
have defined is implemented in Excel in the form of ten pages or screens, which can be 
consulted and searched together, locally or globally. Each page is self-contained and designed 
to be printed out separately if needed.
Screen 1: “When-where-what”
1. Line number
2. Catalog entry (case) number
3. D ay (1 to 31, blank if unknown)
4. M onth (1 to 12, blank if unknown)
5. Year (such as 1845 if A .D ., or-56 if B.C.)
6. Location (usually town name and province or country)
7. Narrative summary of the observation in plain English
8. Classification (such as M A I or CE3)
9. T ime of day (local time, such as 10:34 or 21:45)
10. D uration of the observation in minutes
A A P Person 5
Appendix C page 2


Screen 2: “Witnesses and references”
1. Catalog entry (case) number
2 Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. W itness(es)
4 Primary source
5. S econdary reference
Screen 3: “Quality control”
1 . Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. R egional code (three letters, such as NA M  for N. A menca, W EU for W estern Europe)
4. Country code (three letters, such as U S A  for the U .S ,, IT A  for Italy)
5. Julian date
6. T ime zone (-12 to +12, with 0 for G reenwich, positive towards the W est)
7. Local time in decimal hours (10,50 means I oh 30m)
X U niversal time in decimal hours
9, D egrees of longitude
10. M inutes of longitude
II. Longitude East or W est (E or W )?
12. D egrees of latitude
13. M inutes of latitude
14. Latitude North or S outh (N or S )?
15. D ate-time accuracy; Y or N depending on the knowledge of the year, 
month, date and hour
16. Location accuracy (radius in kilometers)
17. R eliability indicator (S V P) as defined in A ppendix A
Screen 4: “L ayer I: Physics”
1. Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. W eather (clear, cloudy, overcast, rain, fog, storm, thunder)
4, T errain (country, urban, forest, mountain, ocean, desert etc.)
5. A pparent nature of the object (metallic, light only, fuzzy, sharp etc)
6. S hape
7. Estimated size in meters
8. Presence of sound (whirring, buzzing, melodious, whistling etc)
A A P Person 5 Appendix C page 3


Screen 5: “L ayer I: Physics, continued”
1, Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S crew 1)
3. Lights, beams or other projections
4. Electromagnetic effects
5. G round traces (including vegetation effects)
6. M aterial sample(s)
7. T rajectory characteristics
8. R adar return characteristics
9. Photographs or video ? (Y/N)
Screen 6: “L ayer II: anti-physics”
I, Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. R eported patterns conflicting with conventional physics
Screen 7: “L ayer 111: Psychological factors”
1. Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. W itnesses reactions, including disorientation, fear or tenor, bliss or ecstasy, etc.
4. S ocial parameters
Screen 8: “L ayer IV : physiological factors”
1. Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3, Physiological effects
4 Pathological effects
AAP-------
Person 5
Appendix C page 4


Screen 9: “L ayer V : Psychic effects” and “L ayer V I: Cultural effects”
1, Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. Psychic effects: reports of out-of-body experiences, associated 
poltergeist or other phenomena before or after the sighting
4. Cultural effects, including religious, social or media reactions
Screen 10: Hyperlinks
1. Catalog entry (case) number
2. Location (repeated from S creen 1)
3. W eb links to specific catalogues, documents, experts or special databases about the 
case such as photographs, videos or special websites
4. Final comments on documentation
A n example of the proposed format is given in the Exhibit below, with the first two pages 
from the NID S catalogue
Conclusion
T he requirements of a searchable, portable, easily-accessible series of databases capturing all 
six layers of information about unexplained aerial phenomena can be satisfied with a 
comprehensive data structure using nothing more complex than M icrosoft Excel. T he 
proposed 10-page structure, which can be started with a single page and expanded later as 
information is reviewed or becomes available, has already been tested on several catalogues 
in prototype form. It will support data sorting and the production of graphs, mathematical or 
statistical functions, and export to more specialized studies without requiring either new 
training of operators or new programming
T he resulting files, in most cases, will be small enough to be transferred via e-mail 
attachments. T hey will fit on most electronic media and even on portable devices.
A A P Person 5 Appendix C page 5


1 Catalog WHEN? WHERE? WHA T ? time dur.
2 Entry Day M onth Y ear L ocation Description Ctawf. hhtmm mtn.
3 N-301 7 1 1946 San Rafael (Outside M ovie T heater) SirezlOX plane disk with hump. WeatherCL EA R, sun setting CoInnlight brown on top, silent FBI 19:00 I
4 N-223 7 1 1948 Orville (While Welting In T he Woods) Shape :d^L WeatherJiot. CL EA R, beautiful Colorbrieht white, almost translucent CE2 3
5 N-163 1 1950 Riverside (Over T he City) Sizeza link bigger than a jet Colorzsilvery/ silent M A I 18:00
6 N-389 15 6 1950 San Diego Size:-50+ feet Sha pc saucer. WeatherCL EA R and sunny Colorpak green, metallic CEl 22:00 2
7 N-260 3 1951 Dulce (Stinking L ake. S Of Dulce) Size:737 jctSize Shape xi gar. WeatherCL EA R, sunny CoJorsU ver/aiuminum/ silent CE1 16:00
8 N-412 7 1 1952 Sierra National Forest (Signal Peak) Stzez600 ft X 200 ft Shaped 1/4 pie). Weather-Sunny. CL EA R Colorfully metallic, like mirrors M A I 14.00 20
V N-490 I 3 1952 Salton Sea (U saf Bombing Range) Size:30 ft to 50 ft diam. Shape saucer (similar to A rnold's?). WeatherCL EA R Color du II aluminum M A I 12:00 7
ID N-731 1 7 1952 Deming (10 M iles S) Size:40 feet ShapezEgg-shaped . WeatherCkar Color-Silver/ silent M A I 1600 10
II N-859 7 1952 M ountain Home A fb Reddish-orange ‘star" zipped at incredible speeds. WeatherCkar Dusk M A I 1900 90
12 N 866 I 1952 Salt L ake Chy SizetSeemed to fill 2' windows. Shape-Round ColorGIowing silver FBI 01:00 1-2
13 N-016 1 10 1953 Hanford Shape:blips circular on radar screen / silent M A I 30
14 N-608 1 1953 Duchesne Size: dime ShapezDisk-shaped . WeatherCkar. blue skv ColorM ulti-coiared/ silent M A I 1-2
13 N-775 7 1 1953 Cottonwood (Shasta County) SizezL arger than a fist stretched out WeatherCkar Color V aried/ silent M A I 18:00 0
16 N-458 1 1954 Spokane (Near) Shape zlights in triangular formation . WeatherCL EA R night Colorblue-green/ silent M A I 01:00 30
17 NO  10 1955 A sugi, Japan L arge light, jerky movements seen 5 minutes. WeatherCL EA R / silent M A I 4
IB N-336 8 2 1955 Navarre (10 M i Sw Of Canton, Oh) Sire: looked large Shape xi gar. WeatherCL EA R night, stars Colororange/ silent M A I 21:00 120
19 N-379 1 5 1955 Riverside (From 2Nd Floor Bedroom Windov SirezT JkSO' in diameter. WeatherCL EA R, full moon Colorgoiden/ silent CEl 21:00 8
20 N4S3 7 1956 L ong Beach Size: 100 ftx40 ft Shape Disk-domes. WeacherV ery clear Coiorb lack-blue jnetallic/HU M FBI 3
21 N-434 9 1957 Fargo (M ain Street) sizc:l-l/2X moon Shapexlassic saucer, WeatherCL EA R. winter night Color white or silver/ silent FBI 15
22 N-809 7 1957 Chimayo (County Rd. #94) Sire: 1/2 football field (150 yards in diameter) ShapeDisk . WeatherCkar ColorzBlack/grey/ FBI 05:00 5
23 N-055 7 1 1958 Shreveport (West Of Red River) Shapetround like a ball. WeatherCL EA R night Colorzglowed green/ silent M A I 21.00
24 N-216 1 1 1958 C aracas Sizedike V enus Shape bright star . WeatherCL EA R skies. Color white/ silent M A I 21.00 15
25 N-326 9 1958 Caribbean Sea (A board U ss Edr) Size:75-1001 long Shapexigar. WeatherCL EA R &  wumColorred/orange glow/ silent CE3 2000 5
26 N-168 1 5 1959 A shford Shapezplate shaped . WeatherCkar Colorwhite/ silent CEl 30
27 N-190 7 1 1960 Raf Kirknewton 6952 Ram U saf Sizedike a Boeing 747. WeatherCkar Colordark/ silent CEl 10
28 N-285 I I960 A lamosa (1 M i N) Size headlights faraway Shape round . WeatherCkar Calcrred &  white/ silent A N) 0900 5
29 N-749 1 1 1960 San Francisco Size:100-150 feet Shape Disk . WeatherCkar, calm Color-Silver/ silent CEl 13.00 0
30 N-217 7 1961 Peru: Somewhere South. High Desert Size:15 meters diam. Shapepens (saucer). Weatherblue skv. Colorsiiver/mercurv7 silent CEl 12.00 11
31 N-460 7 1962 Be Border size# ftdiini Shapers turn, WeatherCL EA R Coioncomp lately silver metallic/ silent CEl 1200 0
32 N-416 19 8 1963 Pitman (Open Church Field, Houses A round) sizexach 25-30 ft in diameter Shapczcircular lights . Weatherwear Color solid red/ silent CEl 0200 10
N-662 9 1963 Kincheloe A fb-B52 A lert Pad (Sauk Ste A tari SirezGraoeftuit at urn's length Shape iDiscs . Weather Wear ColorSilvery white/ silent M A I 01:00 0
34 N-685 7 1963 Kamas (20 M iles E, In U intah M ountains) Size:2 pickup trucks each ShapezEgg-shaped . WeatherCkar, calm ColorSilver/ silent FBI 1600 4
35 N-764 1963 Gulf Of T onkin (A t 20,000 Ft, 200 M i Fm Ca Size20-30 feet in diameter ShapezSaucer. WeatherCkar. cloud deck above 20.000 ft.ColorzDark CEl 2100 2
36 NO62 1965 M onterey Peninsula Sizezfoocball field ColorzmetaHic/ silent M A I 1700 1
37 N 263 1 1 1965 Duke Shape -domed disc / silent CE2 oi oa 0
3S N-413 7 J 1965 Show L ow (On 77N Showlow-Holbrook) st»20 ft diunsier Siapetbad of lisht. WeathecperfectfY Cleat Cotofiriitht whits/EM E/HU M CE2 23:00 65
39 N-563 1 8 1965 Cheyenne (Foxtrot A rena A t F.E. Warren A fb sizezV ery big Shape:Boomerang . Weatherwear, beautiful Color zDark/EM E/ silent FBI 0800 18
40 N-698 8 1965 York (Seen From Women’s Penitentiary) SizezSO-cenl piece ShapezDisk . WeatherCalrn. Clear CoL orM aybe silver (silhouette)/ silent M A I 2
41 N-780 7 1965 Klamath Falls (Kingsley Field) Size:quarter at arm’s length. Circular lights. WeatherCkar (night) Colorlike aircraft landing lights/ silent A M I 0200 20
42 N-807 1 8 1965 Whittier SizezL ike a V W Shapc'-FirebaU . WeatherCkar CoJorGreea/ an ; 0300 0
43 N-067 16 8 1966 Prophetstown Sire: 1/2 Sa: arms kngth WeatherCL EA R Colorbright orange/ silent FBI 2100 7
44 N-177 7 1 1966 Eastern Sirezcar Shape:long, cigar-shaped Colorzcouldn't see a color/ silent CEl 1800 90
45 N-316 10 1966 Phoenix (44K-47K Ft A lt) Pilot U SA F T -38 saw white light off right wing - off when approached. WeatherCL EA R night M A I 1-2
46 N-327 I 7 1966 Nashville (Back Yard Of Residence) WeatherCL EA R /HU M /DRONE A N2 2000
47 N-337 1 5 1966 Canton (Her Home) Sizezlargtr than full moon Shape round . WeatherCL EA R, starry nightColorpulsating orange/ siknt CEl 0200 15
48 N-444 5 1966 M yton Shapezsquashed ball Weathermoon out Coicrsilver (polished stainless) red tint/EM E/ siknt
49 N-640 9 5 1966 Deerfield Beach (From Grandparents' Yard) nzezDcllar it arm's length ShapezDisc Frisbee. WeatherCkar. no clouds Color Blue-green/ siknt M A I 2200 2
50 N-235 I 1 1967 M yton A rea Size^GT  diameter Shapezruund . WeatherCkar Cokmred. dark to light/ siknt M A I 2100 30 1


1843(a)(2) A A P Person 7
Caraloe WHERE? WHO SA W IT ? WHO SA YS SO? OT HER REFERENCES?
E ntn Location W itnesses S ources
N-301 San Rafael (Outside M ovie T heater) 1843(a)(2) 'on me radio* 1843(a)(2)
N-223 Orville I While Walking tn T he Wooda)
N-1 S3 Riverside (Over T he City)
N-389 Sui Diego C2C radio program —
N-260 Dulce (Stinking L ake. S Of Duke) A A P Person 7
N-412 Sierra M anorial Forest (Signal Peak) Radio interview bf I
N-4 90 Salton Sea (U saf Bombing Range) A rt Bell radio propam M P Person 58_________ I
N-731 Deming (10 M ile* S) 11843(a) |of L umberton. NM 1843(a)(2)
N-859 M ountain Home A fb SF Survey ''
N-866 Salt L ake City
N-016 Hanford A A P Person 7 r
N-608 Duchesne Few 1} NewV nidstianv.nei 1843(a)(2)
N-775 Cottonwood (Shasta County) RadU l 843( k-mul
N-458 Spokane (Near) C2C
N-010 A sugi, Japan
N-3W Navarre (10 M i 5w Of Canton. Oh) 118431a [
N-379 Riverside (From 2Nd How Bedroom Window) C2C radio program
N6J3 L ong Beach I 1 radio prognm/c-maii
N-4 34 Fargo (M ain Street) Internet
N-BOT Chimayo (County Rd *94) Personal contact
N-O5S Shreveport (Wear Of Red River) histones!
N-216 Caracas
N - 326 Ca r ib be a n Sea (A board U m Fdr)
N-IM A shford
Nd 90 Raf Kirknewton 6932 Ram U saf I AAP Person 58 ।
N-285 A lamosa (t M i N) 1843(a)(2) _
N-749 San Francisco RookvcIt (U D Standard newspaper
N-217 Peru: Somewhere South. High Desert
N-460 Be Border C2C
N-416 Pitman (Open Church Field, Houses A round) L ocal newjpsgcr__
N^62 Kincite toe A  lb- B 52 A lert Pad (Sauli Sie M arie) SP Surrey
N-685 Kamas (20 M lles E. In U inish M ountains) KU T V -T V  newsfe-mail
N-7M GulfOf T onkin (A t 20,000 Ft. 200 M i FmCatrii M e J HU FON symposium A A P Person 58 | A A P Person 58
N-062 M onterey Peninsula
N-263 Dulce A A P Person 7 _
N-413 Show L ow (On 77N Show low-Holbrook)
N 563 Cheyenne (Foxtrot A rena A t RE, Warren A fb)
N-698 York (Seen From Women’s Penitentiary)
N 780 Klamath Palls (Kingsley Field)
N-807 Whittier
N-067 Prophetstown
N-177 Eastern
A FSPA  survey
i r
------------trnjil-------------------------------------------------
Interne t/e-mail
1843(a)(2) ___ 1843(a)(2)
N-316 Phoenia (44K-47K R A lt)
N • 327 Nash viU e ( Baek Yard Of Residence)
N-337 Canton (Her Home)
N-444 M yton
N-640 Deerfield Beach (Rom Grandparents'Yard)
N-235 M yton A rea
FBI seminal Iwasi
1843(a)(2)
[uest speaker
A A P Person 7
1843(a)(2)
