Documents / Report
This synopsis was prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). It reports on an analysis of drill shavings and a small bulk piece from a metallic specimen claimed to be linked to an unidentified phenomenon over central Ohio around 1995. Chemical assays, microscopy, computed tomography and gamma spectroscopy showed a conventional near-eutectic aluminum-silicon casting alloy that had cooled slowly and gave off no radiation. The report concludes the specimen is ordinary terrestrial industrial metal with no evidence of exotic origin.
Synopsis: Analysis of a Aluminum Specimen6 The bulk specimen’s interior contains clusters of winding, interconnected pores—a typical pattern of interdendritic shrinkage that occurs as castings solidify and contract. The large pore size (from 0.5 mm to over 1 mm) suggests a relatively slow cooling rate, which is typical of thick‑section or larger molds. Together, the porosity, intermetallics, and Si features are consistent with a sample that was gradually cooled from a large cast. 5 mm YZ XY Figure 5. Two renderings from the XCT data. The purple surfaces are the pores. Light blue lines are the approximate location of the sectioning cuts. Table 2. Microstructure at a glance. Silicon (Si) precipitates These appear as plates or needles in the aluminum matrix. Because silicon improves castability, such structures are common features in industrial manufacturing. Fe/Mn‑rich intermetallics Small, bright “Chinese‑script” features common to Al–Si castings, introduced for improved mechanical properties; their chemistry can shift with trace additions but their presence is standard. Cu/Mg‑bearing precipitates Typically very fine, these contribute modest strengthening effects—again consistent with well‑known alloy families. Lead‑rich pockets Observed in minute amounts as isolated pockets/smears; compatible with trace elements and not indicative of unusual chemistry.
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Report, from the aaro collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 10 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.