UFO Potpourri No 361

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: no. 361
Date: April 6-12, 1992
Publisher: Photonics Spectra
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of UFO Potpourri delves into various aspects of unexplained phenomena, military technology, and scientific endeavors, featuring articles on UFO encounters, the physics of sonic booms and earthquake lights, and the bureaucratic processes surrounding the potential discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Close Encounters of the Kutyna Kind

This article reports on a unique event at the Eighth National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. U.S. Air Force Gen. Donald Kutyna, commander of the U.S. Space Command, made a dramatic entrance from a large, saucer-shaped airship built by Hystar Aerospace Development Corp. The airship, designed for logging, hovered above the audience while theme music from "2001: A Space Odyssey" played. Gen. Kutyna emerged from a puff of smoke on stage, eschewing suggestions for a more elaborate descent.

3-D Tracking of Moving Objects

Colorado Video Inc. has developed a new video-memory design that enables the rapid, three-dimensional plotting of moving object paths. This technology has applications in analyzing aircraft traffic, air currents, and the movement of animals. While photographic time exposures have traditionally been used, this new process allows for tracking even in daylight by digitally processing video signals to add brighter or darker information, retaining transient data without overexposure.

Shedding Light on Quakes

This piece explores a potential explanation for earthquake lights, the mysterious glowing phenomena sometimes observed during seismic events. Dr. Arch C. Johnston of the Center for Earthquake Research at Memphis State University suggests that the process seen in chemistry laboratories, where high-energy sound waves create light flashes in water due to bubble implosion under pressure, could be at play during earthquakes. This phenomenon might occur in bodies of water near fault zones or trapped in rocks, explaining lights seen hundreds of miles from the epicenter, contrasting with theories focusing on high electric fields in rocks.

Chasing the Sonic Boom

This Q&A segment addresses a common misconception about sonic booms. A reader inquired whether a sonic boom is a discrete event that occurs only once when a plane breaks the sound barrier, or if it persists. R. John Hansman Jr., a professor at MIT, clarifies that a plane flying faster than Mach 1 creates a shock wave due to air compression. This shock wave, resembling a speedboat's wake, continuously streams from the plane as long as it travels at supersonic speeds, meaning observers along its path will hear the boom.

Red Tape Will Delay News of Little Green Men

This article, by L.M. Boyd, discusses the complex bureaucratic process that would likely delay the announcement of any detected extraterrestrial life. According to guidelines established by the International Academy of Astronautics, any discovery would need to undergo a rigorous verification and approval process involving scientists worldwide. The news would then be cleared by the International Telecommunications Union and officially announced through the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams via the International Astronomical Union, before reaching the public via the United Nations. Dr. John Mason of the British Astronomical Association defends this 'red tape' as necessary for scientific discussion and debate, while also acknowledging the potential for leaks to investigative journalists.

Aliens From Space: What's Illegal?

Authored by Martha Carr, this piece addresses a reader's question about whether extraterrestrial visitors (like E.T.) could be considered illegal aliens and subject to arrest or study. Carr posits that without proper entry authorization, aliens would likely be considered illegal. She also suggests that performing physical examinations or experiments on them without consent would be illegal under most national laws protecting citizens.

Richard Crenna's Close Encounter

Actor Richard Crenna recounts an experience from years prior where he and friends encountered an unidentified flying object in Northern California. He described it as a large, low, fat, and pulsating bluish-orange object that fit traditional descriptions of flying saucers. The article notes that Crenna is starring in a CBS UFO abduction-themed television series.

High-Power Microwave Weapon Could Provide Valuable EW Tool

This brief report from the Journal of Electronic Defense discusses ongoing research in high-power microwave technology by DOD laboratories. The development aims to create emitters capable of countering advanced threat emitters, including high-power radars. The EW application of this technology, beyond its weaponized use, is seen as a potential incentive for continued funding, with initial tests of high-power microwave emitters expected to begin late in the year or early the following year.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of UFOs, unexplained phenomena, and the intersection of science and technology with the unknown. There's a clear interest in reporting on sightings, scientific explanations (or lack thereof), and the societal implications of potential discoveries, such as alien life. The publication also touches upon military and aerospace developments, suggesting an editorial stance that is curious about the frontiers of knowledge and technology, while also acknowledging the practicalities and bureaucratic hurdles involved in scientific progress and public disclosure. The inclusion of a Q&A format and reader-submitted questions indicates an engagement with its audience's curiosities.