psychoceramics: (fwd) Warp Drives & Hal P's JSE comments on Paul Hill

[bruce @ kenosis.com (Bruce Baugh)]

Yes, they're completely compatible with modern science if you just add
a bunch of bogons.

On Wed, 12 Mar 1997 20:43:14 -0700, in rec.arts.sf.science Robert
Collins <r--@s--.com> wrote:

>
>SUBJECT: Synopsis of Unconventional Flying Objects, by Paul Hill, Hampton
>         Roads Publ. Co., Charlottesville, VA, 1995 (ISBN 1-57174-027-9)
>
>JSE Review by H. E. Puthoff, Ph.D., Institute for Advanced Studies at
>Austin, TX  78759
>
>
>	To the degree that the engineering characteristics of UFOs can
>be estimated by empirical observation, in my opinion the above-referenced,
>recently-published book by Paul Hill provides the most reliable, concise
>summary of engineering-type data available. [1]  The data were compiled 
>over decades of research by a Chief Scientist-Manager at NASA's Langley
>Research Center [2] who acted as an informal clearinghouse for UFO-related
>data. The strength of the compilation lies in its thoughtful separation 
>of wheat from chaff, and the analysis of the former into coherent patterns,
>including detailed calculations.  Perhaps surprising to the casually 
>interested, under careful examination the observations, rather than 
>defying the laws of physics as naive interpretation might suggest, 
>instead appear to be solidly commensurate with them, as the following 
>discussion shows.
>
>	One of the most consistently-observed characteristics of UFO
>flight is a ubiquitous pattern in which they tilt to perform all maneuvers.
>Specifically, they sit level to hover, tilt forward to move forward, tilt
>backward to stop, bank to turn, and descend by "falling-leaf" or "silver-
>dollar-wobble" motions. Detailed analysis by Hill shows that such motion 
>is inconsistent with aerodynamic requirements, but totally consistent with
>some form of repulsive force-field propulsion. Not satisfied with paper
>analyses alone, Hill arranged to have various forms of jet-supported and
>rotor-supported circular flying platforms built and tested.  Hill himself
>acted as test pilot in early, originally-classified, versions, and found 
>the above motions the most economical for control purposes.  Pictures of 
>these platforms are included in the text.
>
>	In an effort to examine the force-field propulsion hypothesis yet
>further, Hill analyzed a number of cases involving near-field interactions 
>with an apparent craft in which some form of force was in evidence.  These
>include examples in which a person or vehicle was affected, tree branches 
>were parted or broken, roof tiles were dislodged, objects were deflected, 
>and ground or water were disturbed.  Under close analysis the subtleties
>of these interactions combine to point unequivocally to a repulsive force
>field surrounding the craft, while discriminating against propulsion 
>mechanisms involving jet action, pure electric or magnetic effects, or 
>the emission of energetic particles or radiation (although the latter 
>may accompany the propulsive mechanism as a secondary effect).  Further 
>detailed investigation indicates that the particular form of force field
>propulsion that satisfies observational constraints is what Hill labels
>a directed acceleration field; that is, a field that is, in general, 
>gravitational-like in nature, and, in particular, gravity-canceling. 
>[3]  Such a field acts on all masses in its sphere of influence as does
>a gravitational field.  Corollary to this conclusion is that observed 
>accelerations ~100 g's relative to the environment could be sustained 
>without on-board high-g forces.  
>
>	One of the consequences of the above identification of field
>propulsion type by Hill is his conclusion, supported by detailed 
>calculation, computer simulation and wind-tunnel studies, that supersonic
>flight through the atmosphere without sonic booms is easily engineered. 
>Manipulation of the acceleration-type force field would, even at 
>supersonic speeds, result in a constant-pressure, compression-free zone
>without shockwave in which the vehicle is surrounded by a subsonic 
>flow-pattern of streamlines, and subsonic velocity ratios.  
>An additional benefit of such field control is that drops of moisture, 
>rain, dust, insects, or other low-velocity objects would follow 
>streamline paths around the craft rather than impact it.
>
>	Another puzzle resolved by Hill's analysis is that craft 
>observed to travel continuously at Mach 4 or 5 do not appear to generate 
>temperatures sufficiently high to be destructive to known materials.  
>In other words, UFOs appear to prevent high aerodynamic heating rates, 
>rather than permitting a heating problem, then surviving it with heat-
>resistant materials as is the case of the Shuttle whose surface 
>temperatures can reach 1300 degrees C. The resolution of this potential
>problem is shown by Hill to derive from the fact that the force-field 
>control that results in the prevention of shockwave drag as discussed 
>above is also effective in preventing aerodynamic heating. In effect the
>airflow approaches, then springs away from the craft, depositing no 
>energy in the process.
>
>	A further example of the type of correlation that emerges from
>Hill's analytical approach is provided by an analysis of the economy of
>various flight-path profiles.  It is shown that high-angle, high-
>acceleration departures on ballistic-arc trajectories with high-speed 
>coast segments are more efficient than, for example, intermediate-level,
>horizontal-path trips, both in terms of required impulse-per-unit-mass 
>and time-of-flight parameters.  This he correlates with the observation 
>that UFO departures are of the dramatically high-angle, high-acceleration 
>type.
>
>	Also of interest is Hill's analysis of the spectra and intensity 
>of an apparent plasma sheath surrounding such craft, the details of which
>correlate with what one would expect in terms of it being a secondary 
>effect associated with the propulsion system, for example, a blue shift
>and intensity increase during a "power-up" phase, and the opposite during
>hover or landing maneuvers.  An additional fine point that emerges from
>this analysis is resolution of the paradox that observation on a direct 
>line-of-sight to a near part of the craft can reveal a metallic-like 
>structure while the attempt to observe the outline of the craft, 
>necessarily by an oblique line-of-sight, results in an indistinct blur. 
>Analysis shows this to be a reasonable outcome of an expected re-
>absorption of reflected light by the surrounding plasma in the longer-
>length path associated with the more oblique view.
>
>	Another typical nugget of information is found in Hill's 
>discussion of the results of the analysis of a possible UFO artifact, 
>the famous Ubatuba magnesium fragments claimed to have originated from 
>an exploded unidentified craft near Ubatuba, Brazil.  Laboratory analysis
>of the samples found the magnesium to be not only of exceptional purity,
>and anomalous in its trace composition of other elements, but 6.7% denser
>than ordinary pure magnesium, a figure well beyond the experimental error
>of the measurement.  Hill's calculation shows that this observation can 
>be accounted for by assuming that the sample contained only the pure 
>isotope Mg26, rather than the naturally-occurring distribution among 
>isotopes Mg24, Mg25 and Mg26.  Since the only isotope separation on a 
>significant scale in terrestrial manufacture is that of uranium, such a 
>result must be considered at least anomalous, and possibly as evidence 
>for extraterrestrial manufacture.  
>
>	Additional calculations concerning the parameters of interstellar
>travel (including relativistic effects), and the energetics of such travel,
>have been performed and are included in tabular and graphical form.  The
>wealth of material in these sections, along with discussion of the broad
>implications of this material, reveal the dedication and thoroughness of 
>Hill's approach to his self-assigned task.
>
>	In the final analysis, one must conclude that Hill has 
>assembled as good a case as can be made on the basis of presently 
>available data that the observation of some "unconventional flying 
>objects" is compatible with the presence of engineered platforms 
>weighing in at something around 30 tons, which are capable of 100-g 
>accelerations and 9000-mph speeds in the  atmosphere.  Perhaps more 
>important for the technical reader, however, is Hill's supporting 
>argumentation, based on solid analysis, that these platforms, although 
>exhibiting the application of physics and engineering principles 
>clearly beyond our present-day capabilities, do not appear to defy these 
>principles in any fundamental way. 
>
>1. The book also comes highly recommended in a Frontispiece by Apollo 14
>astronaut Edgar Mitchell, and in a Foreword by retired McDonnell Douglas
>R&D manager Robert M. Wood. 
>  
>2.  Ass't Chief, Pilotless Aircraft Research Div.; Assoc. Chief, Applied
>Materials and Physics Div.  Retired from NASA in 1970.
>
>3.Recent examples of the discussion of the technical aspects of candidate
>field propulsion mechanisms of this type are given in M. Alcubierre, "The
>warp drive: hyper-fast travel within general relativity," Class. and 
>Quantum Grav., vol. 11, p. L73 (1994), and in H. Puthoff, "SETI, the
>velocity-of-light limitation, and the Alcubierre warp drive: An 
>integrating overview," Phys. Essays vol. 9, No. 1, p. 156 (March 1996).  
>
>	
>
>
>

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