ACUFOS Journal vol 5 no 5

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Journal of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies (ACUFOS), Volume 5, Number 5, published in September/October 1984, is a 10-page magazine that delves into various aspects of ufology and related phenomena. It includes an editorial, several articles, a book review, and a bibliography, offering a mix of scientific information and critical analysis.

Editorial: THAT WHICH IS UP MUST COME DOWN

Frank Gillespie, the editor, opens the issue by emphasizing the importance for ufological investigators to thoroughly understand the characteristics of the phenomena they are investigating. He highlights that specialized knowledge is often required, and when a phenomenon is comprehensively explained, it serves as a valuable reference. Gillespie notes that Paul Sowiak-Rudej's article on meteorites in this issue brings to light material that challenges his own past observations, suggesting a 'meteor' he witnessed twelve years prior could not have been a conventional meteor. This leads him to ponder the nature of ice objects in space and their potential behavior in Earth's atmosphere.

Article: METEORITES

Authored by Paul Sowiak-Rudej, this extensive article provides a detailed scientific overview of meteorites. It traces the historical understanding of meteorites, from early skepticism to modern scientific acceptance. The article explains how meteors appear as luminous streaks due to atmospheric friction and classifies them into sporadic and shower types, often linked to comets. It differentiates between 'fireballs' (bright meteors) and 'bolides' (less bright meteors). The Hoba meteorite in South West Africa is cited as the world's largest unfractured meteorite.

Sowiak-Rudej further categorizes meteorites by composition: siderites (iron), siderolites (stony-iron), and aerolites (stone). He elaborates on the properties of each, including the nickel content in siderites, the mineralogy of siderolites, and the common chondrites and achondrites within the aerolite group. Tektites, silica-rich glasses, are also discussed, with their territorial distribution and debated origins.

The article details the physical phenomena associated with meteorite falls, such as light and sound effects, and how atmospheric layers like the tropopause affect their trajectory and velocity. The color of a meteor is linked to its temperature and velocity, with colors ranging from blue to red. Smoke trails, composed of ionized air and solid particles, are also mentioned.

It is explained that bolides penetrating below certain altitudes can produce sound effects, including buzzing and explosions, and that electrophonic noises may be heard by animals. The article also discusses the impact velocity of meteorites, considering Earth's orbital velocity and the potential for collisions or overtaking. The effect of atmospheric resistance on smaller meteorites is highlighted, leading to lower impact velocities.

The article examines meteorite craters, using the Henbury Craters in Australia as an example, and mentions the large Barringer Meteorite Crater in Arizona. It addresses the frequency of meteorite falls, noting that while many are lost over oceans, the observed pattern is influenced by population density. Seasonal and diurnal variations in meteorite fall frequency are also presented, with peaks in April-July and in the afternoon.

Review: THE UFO VERDICT

Frank Gillespie reviews Robert Sheaffer's book, 'The UFO Verdict'. Gillespie acknowledges Sheaffer's ability to conduct thorough and objective UFO investigations but criticizes his reliance on false information, irrelevancies, and corrupt logic. He notes that the book is a mixture of good and bad, but well-written and convincing. Sheaffer is praised for criticizing the media's sensationalized reporting of UFO events, but criticized for accepting media reports as factual when it suits his arguments. Gillespie points out that Sheaffer debunks cases favored by UFO personalities while ignoring others, citing the Jimmy Carter UFO incident as an example of a trivial event receiving considerable attention.

The review highlights that the book contains little actual debunking, suggesting it acts as a 'smoke screen' for weaknesses in Sheaffer's anti-UFO case. Gillespie argues that Sheaffer's use of Occam's Razor and 'falsifiability' to dismiss UFO theories is flawed, particularly his comparison of ufology to objective sciences and his claim that the 'UFO hypothesis' is not a fact of life. The review commends Sheaffer's chapter on the Kaikoura (New Zealand) incidents as a shrewd and penetrating analysis, though marred by reliance on less reputable media sources.

Gillespie concludes that Sheaffer may be correct about 'scientific' UFO proponents lacking rigor, but this applies equally to debunkers. He suggests that neither Sheaffer nor debunkers have fully applied rigorous statistical techniques to the UFO phenomenon, implying that if they had, Sheaffer's book might not have been written.

Article: I SPY, WITH MY LITTLE EYE, SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH "S"

John Prytz contributes an article about a potential unidentified submerged object (USO) sighting in Australia. He recounts a news item from late 1976 involving about 20 Aboriginals from the Yalata Lutheran Mission who saw a 'submarine' surface near Ceduna, South Australia. The object was described as about 90 feet long, with a white conning tower, a black center line, and a red stripe at the waterline. The description did not match known submarines, leading to an alert for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and other authorities.

Despite official doubts, the sighting was treated seriously. Theories ranged from a foreign submarine on a spying mission to an overturned yacht or even a large whale, with the whale's spout possibly mistaken for a conning tower. However, no missing vessels were reported, and the location was deemed unlikely for espionage. The Yalata Mission manager insisted the witnesses knew what a submarine looked like. The article notes that the mystery remained unsolved for nearly eight years, considered a 'silly season filler'.

A postscript mentions a similar sighting by a woman offshore from Robe, South Australia, who saw a white conning tower of a submarine. Prytz concludes by posing the question of what common factor, if any, links these sea mysteries to UFO reports.

Other Content

The issue also includes a bibliography of cited works, primarily on meteorites and the solar system, and an appendix detailing Prior's classification of meteorites and a list of meteor showers with their dates, radiant coordinates, and speeds. The editorial is continued on page 9, where Gillespie invites readers to submit their thoughts on the behavior of 'ice meteors' and suggests that UFO debunkers have overlooked this aspect.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The journal consistently promotes a rigorous, evidence-based approach to ufology, encouraging detailed investigation and scientific understanding of phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, critical analysis of both UFO claims and debunking efforts, and a desire to distinguish between genuine phenomena and misinterpretations or hoaxes. There is a clear emphasis on scientific methodology and the importance of accurate data and classification, particularly evident in the detailed article on meteorites and the critical review of Sheaffer's book.

This document is the "ACUFOS BIBLIOGRAPHY SERVICE: BIBLIOGRAPHY UPDATES: PART TWO," compiled by John Prytz. It functions as a specialized listing of references rather than a typical magazine issue with articles. The primary purpose is to provide readers with a comprehensive list of documents related to specific fields of interest, particularly those that might be overlooked by general readers.

Content and Structure

The bibliography is meticulously organized into several key sections:

Exobiology This section covers a broad range of topics related to the potential for life beyond Earth. It includes references to scientific articles on cosmic chemistry, interstellar molecules, the origin of life, and the nature of interstellar grains. It also delves into the search for extraterrestrial life, including discussions on the 'Great Silence' and the possibility of humanoids in space. Specific focus is given to life in the Solar System, with numerous entries on Mars (pre-Viking exploration), including discussions on Martian canals and potential signs of life, as well as brief mentions of Venus and the Jovian planets.

Astro-Archaeology This section compiles references related to the study of ancient astronomical alignments and structures. It includes works on native American astronomy, Stonehenge, and the orientation of pre-Columbian buildings. The entries discuss the scientific interpretation of ancient monuments and potential connections to archaeoastronomy.

UFOs This extensive section lists references concerning unidentified flying objects. It is further divided into book extracts, journal articles (pre-1977 and 1977-1982, and 1983+), and specific topics like "Space Colonization" and "Earthquake Lights." The references cover historical UFO reports, official investigations, scientific analyses, and the social aspects of UFO phenomena.

Dolphin Intelligence and Communication This part of the bibliography focuses on the cognitive abilities and communication methods of dolphins. It includes numerous journal articles discussing dolphin vocalizations, intelligence, social behavior, and their potential for communication with humans. Several monographs on the subject are also listed.

Artificial Intelligence This section provides references to works on artificial intelligence, covering its theoretical aspects, applications, and the philosophical implications of intelligent machines. It includes both monographs and journal articles.

Compiler's Note and Justification

John Prytz, the compiler, addresses the utility of such bibliographies in his concluding article, "OF WHAT USE THE BIBLIOGRAPHIES?". He acknowledges the time and space commitment involved in compiling these lists and justifies their existence by highlighting their role in alerting readers to relevant documents, serving as a regular update, and acting as a checklist for personal document libraries. Prytz emphasizes that his service aims to cover specialized material (the "95% of material that ends up providing 5% of total interest") that might be missed by average readers, thus providing a more complete information resource when combined with other sources. He suggests methods for integrating these references into personal systems for future use.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes across this bibliography are the exploration of the unknown, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and life, the investigation of anomalous phenomena (UFOs, Tunguska event), and the study of intelligence and communication, both in non-human animals (dolphins) and in artificial constructs. The editorial stance, as implied by the ACUFOS organization and the nature of the bibliography, is one of serious inquiry into these often fringe or specialized scientific and pseudoscientific topics. The emphasis is on providing researchers with the raw material (references) to conduct their own investigations.