Condign volumes 1 to 3

# UNCLASSIFIED

UK RESTRICTED

been reported, six to seven times a week and two to three times a day.

Despite all the blanks drawn during the investigation some 20 scientists researched the phenomenon during 1994 and their reports were either not completed or not available at the time this MoD study was made.

## ELECTRO THERMO AND TRIBOLUMINESCENCE FROM ROCK FORMATIONS/EARTH FAULTS

10. Statistical studies have shown [1] that geology and UAP events seem to be linked. Research [2] in 1977 confirmed that (French) events reported over 25 years correlated with locations of rock formations and a similar study in Leicestershire (1972-1977) gave almost the same statistical results. In 1981 t he US Bureau of Mines carried out experiments in which granite core was crushed under darkened test conditions in which recordings were made and a line was established between anomalous aerial lights and geological sites.

11. Although these luminous effects were earlier attributed to piezo-electric action several other scientific explanations have been proposed, including natural radioactivity, cosmic rays and light from thermo or tribo-luminescence. The latter would involve reactive electrons moving between conduction and valence bands in three-dimensional lattices and which contain defects. Some connection with tribo-luminescence is also reported - a simple example of which would be the electrical charging of materials by friction which can be manifested as static discharge. Tribo-luminescence is the emission of visible radiation due to frictional forces - in effect cold light emission'.

12. Example fault lines where 'Earthlights' have been seen are shown at Figure 5. It is clear from other sources [3] that sightings are often directional rather (as

might be expected) omni-directional, that the observer must normally be within a few hundred metres of the phenomena and that the lights appear within a few hundred metres of the local earth fault-line. Overseas, particularly in the USA, there is evidence of increased UAP sightings in areas of tectonic volatility - for example in the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State. The description of these correlates with light seen in Leicestershire, first prior to the 1957 UK earthquake.

## EARTHLIGHTS

13. The phenomenon of 'earthlights' is based on the fact that physical and electrical forces accumulate in areas of seismic activity, possibly over weeks or months, and the resultant stresses in rock formations finally result in rock fractures. At the moment of fracture (and proved by laboratory experiments) these produce electrically charged particles before bursting, which is manifested as light when the fracture occurs. Whereas an earthquake releases energy in a major form, pre- and post-earthquake stresses are the likeliest time for earthlights to be reported. It is claimed that this anomalous light phenomenon occurs:

(a) Along the earth's faultlines.

(b) At $ \pm 2 \mathrm{km} $ from the faultline (although usually within 30m and exceptionally 20km from an epicentre).

(c) At land or sea (underwater faultlines, for example, Loch Ness, Loch Tay) overwater the lights have sometimes been described as green and globe shapes have been said to change to triangles.