t a * . Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : CIAd TiC Detail Cf Paranormal Metal-Bending By J.B. Hasted and D. Robertson Birkbeck College (University of London) i Based on a paper delivered at the Second International Conference of the Society for Psychica! Research at Cambridge, March 1977. Reprinted by permis- sion fram the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, March 1979, The detection of dynamic strain signals in paranormal metal- bending ‘action’ (1) has enabled experimentation to be carried aut on the distribution of the action around the metal-bender. A resistive strain gauge is mounted on or in a small metal specimen, which hangs from its screened electrical connections; electrical bridge, amplifier and chart recorder enable dynamic _ strajg..data to be collected. It is found that the ‘action’ occurs “in € ts of extension or contraction, rather randomly distributed in time, often at a rate of about fifty per hour. An early resuit of experiments with several independent embedded resistive strain gauges was the finding (2) that dynamic strain pulses were frequently registered simultaneously on two en- tirely separate metal specimens. The data were interpreted in terms of a crude physical model of a ‘surface of action’, at points on which strain pulses occur. The configuration and movement of this surface with respect to the metal-bending subject can then be studied. A further series of studies (3) were conducted with several independent strain gauges on a single piece of metal. The tinear array of gauges along a thin strip of metal respond simultaneously to the ‘action’, but the signals are strongest in the centre of a ‘region of action’, which extends about ten inches, and can move slightly from event to event. A series of experiments was also con- ducted with strain gauges on apposite sides of the metal strip. Fora ‘pure bend’ the signals should be in opposite directions, but these conditions were only obiained in the limit of infinitely thin metal strin; for strips of thickness in the region of 1 cm, one strain gauge receives a much smaller signal than the other, as though the penetration was incomplete. Since there is no very strong reason for expecting the signals to be of magnitude or sense uniformly distributed across the thickness of the metal, it appears important to investigate the profile of strains in thick metal specirnens. We therefore mounted six sensors throughout the thickness of a metal speciman, and cog ected therm to six separate battery-operated bridges and an_.iers, using two synchronized three-pen chart recorders. Two cifferent methods of fabricating the sensor were used: in one the strain pquges were mounted inside slots milled in the metal; in interleaved with spacers stuck together with epoxy resin, both methods are detailed in Figural. “Wel BiSnCd b 4. Cross-sections of metal specimens a) Laminar, and b) Solid exectic alloy, containing six strain gauges for investigation of dynamic strain protile. ee ota EXPERIMENT WITH STEPHEN N. Three experimental sessions were held with thirteen- year-old Stephen N., and simultaneous strain signals were te- corded at six strain gauges. The thick metal strip was suspended horizontally radially in front of the subject. The subject was seated and was able to seach fomward nis hand within a few inches of the end closest to him, but part of the time he did not hold out either hand, and many signals were ab- served during,these periods. One author would superintend the working of the equipment, leaving the other free to witness the action without touch produced by the subject. Members of the subject’s family were often present. The normal time for an ex- perimental session was sixty to ninety minutes. When a metal strip is bent, oither elastically or plastically, the convex face experiences extension (positive strain), whilst the concave face experiences contraction (negative strain). At the curved neutral surface, in the centre of the strip, there is no change of strain. Ifa positive strain were represented by an arrow of length proportional to its value pointing to the rightand a negative strain by an arrow pointing te the left, then the normal bending situation could be represented by a series of arrows, as shown at the left-hand side of Figure 2. if an array of synchronous paranormal bending signals re- presents a pure bend with the top face convex, then they could be shown graphically as a set of data points extending diagonally from bottom efi to top right. A pure extension would be re- 4 1ease@.2009/03/0%-:CIA-RDPS6-00788R0020004 J00 14s ically one above the other, The arrays of signals recorded in experimergal sessions are +.
+ SN,S - Approved For Release 2001/03/07 : Cl 44 45 2. Typical profile of dynamic strain signals across the thickness of a metal specimen. Also shown at the left is the profile that would resuit from a pure bend. Signals correspond to quasi-forces of about 20 gm weight. — more complicated than the above. A selection of typical arrays, actually a series from session S, are shown in Figure 2. A simple classification of arrays may be made on the basis of the number of changes of direction in the line joining the data points. Arrays with no changes are bends; those with one change are symbolized by the letter V, those with two changes by N, those with three by W and those with four by M. In table 1 the numbers of signals arrays of each type are listed. The action inside the metal is more complicated than might have been supposed. The phenomenon might more appropriately be described as paranormal ‘metal-churning’ than ‘metal-bending’. A strain is localized to a depth of less than about a millimetre, and may often be accompanied by a strain in the opposite sense at a “sighbouring strain gauge. It is of course important to verify by other experiments that the signals do rot arise from paranormal action on the electronic equipment or even on the pen of the chart recorder. Twa subsidiary experimental programmes were- mounted for this purpose. In the first a galvanometer mirror was mounted on a very thin spring steel strip, with strain gauge attached. One-end of the spring was attached to a horizontal surface under a glass dome, and an optical beam from a helium-neon laser passed through the dome and was reflected through it again from the mirror andontoa | scale. The optical path was about 5 m. Small rnovements of the light spot were seen to synchronize with strain gauge signals, and some ringing was observed, due to the long-period mechanical resonance of the system. NO SIGNALS IN DUMMY GAUGE In the second experiment a dummy strain gauge was included with real strain gauges on a metal strip. Typical signals were observed on the real strain gauge chart record throughout the TABLE 1. Numbers of signals sextets of different profile complexity in Stephen. North sessions. Seseton Nuaber of Gradtent Peefaie tree é and or etretch ¥ Bpectuen type Changes “ Appro uu ,.DP9G50 session, but no signals at all were recorded from the Guin a ‘gauge. A resistive thermal sensor (Micro-Measurements type 5 -RDPSQ2UG 7S AU SNUN AAU TTA sccsrsnce tether sensor is very similar to the resistive strain gauge (Micro-Measu ments type EAOG 125 BT 120) but its resistance is insensitive strain although highly sensitive to temperature. Sudden-ternpe ture changes are unknown to us in paranormal metal-bend sessions, although temperature drifts usually occur, arising fr environmental causes. Paranormal strain signals, on the ot hand, are sudden, in that they are sharpfronted pulses. Although these experiments have vindicated the inter; tation that the paranormal action is an internal strain in the m or strain gauge or both, it must be stressed that dummy ga techniques have not been used as standard practice in all the periments reported here. It is our custom to introduce a durr gauge at irregular intervals, averaging one session in ten. _ We now describe the use of the strain gauge as a deter of directional effects in paranormal metal-bending. The exp ments on the distribution of signals-along the length of a metal s yy | a” aa a 7 ~ of oth tc deg bio tes eeteeam” Dr. John Hasted with Willi C. < (3) had beén conducted using strips of width 8 mm, only jus ficient te mount the strain gauges. The assumption was ma analysing the data that the extensions and contractions directed entirely along the long axis of the specimen (typical cm x 7.5 mm x 0.75 mm). It was decided to test whethe directed assumption would be valid on wider metal strips. We therefore experimented with a strip just sufficiently. for a strain gauge to be mounted across its width; the dimen were 13.5 cm x 18 mm x 0.75 mm. Signals were in fact rec from action on this strain gauge, but they were much smahe those recorded on the strain gauge mounted along the major When a wider strip was used, larger signals were recorded. | therefore decided to experiment systematically on the dire of the dynamic strain vectors in sheet-metal specimens. On long thin specimens, with high axial ratio, there cot a psychological factor which favours the production ot vectors directed along the major axis. This factor, whase exis has not been proven, might be investigated on a subse occasion; but in the first experiments, the safest course wot to yards! sate a round or square disc specimen in which the 1R0N20004.300-1'4-Sientation of the disc w spect to the subject and to the horizontal. » a
AN IMPORTANT PHYSICAL FACTOR ~ There is sRP . ved Fo r Releass, 90H LOO he: CIA-RDP96-007 R00200 strain. When tension (positive stress) is applied along a diameter of a ( ular disc, an extension (positive strain) will be recorded ald-., that diameter, but an equal contraction (negative strain) will he recorded along the orthogonal diameter. A more complicated stress produces strains of different magnitudes along orthogonal diameters. The strain tensor has many components, but it is possible with three strain gauges to determine two orthogonal components. Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the sensors and defines the angles and magnitudes of the strains. Asolution of the problem of determining the magnitudes and angles 6 and 9 +90 of the ex- tension and contraction vestors le and Ic from the vectors ly, 12 and I3 recorded at the ‘rosette’ of strain gauges has been given by Mr, Jankowski. The equations appear with Figure 3.° a = 9 = +arctan (213- hint ly) 1,* I, 3. Directions of strain gauges 1,2,3, mounted in rosette. Equations connect the measured signals 7, 12, 13. with the extension le and orthogonal contraction Ie. Two different configurations ot the disc with respect to the subject have been used. In the first the disc is hung vertically and radially in front of the subject. In the second the disc and electrical connections are strapped upon the bare forearm of the subject, who is presented with another target for his ‘action’, He normally extends his arm to hold his hand about six inches from the target, and the disc rests slightly above the hairs on the forearm. & Cach triplet of dynamic strain pulses represents a positive or nty,.ive strain in a direction and a corresponding strain ato + 90°. These may be represented on a diagram by two radial lines of lengths,corresponding to the strain magnitude. The signals during a wecsi ARRFQNRS diagram’. We can see by inspecting such a diagram just what was the directional character of the signals in the session. 4. ‘Star diagram’ for Stephen North session N. Solid lines represent extensions, broken lines contractions. Lengths represent magnitudes, numbers indicate the session numbers of the two corresponding orthogonal signals. Calibrations show that the largest signals correspond to a quasi-force of about 100 gm - weight. - NO PREFERRED DIRECTION In the sessions with. Stephen N. there were no very strong preferences of direction. In particular we note session U, in which a square metal specimen was suspended vertically from one corner. As appears from the histogram of Figure 5, there is no particular preferred direction, neither horizontal, vertical, nor. parallel to either side of the square. Similarly, there is no particularly preferred relationship be- tween the magnitudes of the corresponding extension and ortho- gonal contraction signals; for a circular disc suffering a single radial stress vector we would expect the corresponding signals to be approximately equal, The histogram of ratios, shown in Figure 5a, demonstrates the absence of preferred ratio. Indeed there are a certain number of pairs of corresponding signals which are of the same sign, that is, both extensions or both contractions. These are not included in Figure 5a. Such signals arise from a stress more complicated than a single radial vector, and consist of at least a "pair of orthogonal vectors (i.e. simultaneous pulling or pushing by two pairs of hands). The proportions of such signals are to be found in Table 2. It would appear from both types of experiment that there is turbulence in the strain, localized to distances of the order of a millimetre ortess. Perhaps on some occasions there is action on the strain gauges alone, hardly penetrating into the metal. As has al ready been noted, the phenomenon might be termed ‘metal- churning’ rather than ‘metal-bending’; and it is possible that the churning takes place ona much smaller scale than we can resalve with arrays of strain gauges. It requires metallurgical investigatior of the structure to settle the question; but early investigations (4 disclosed no significant differences between paranormally and mechanically bent metal specimens. STRUCTUAL EFFECTS SU BSTANTIATED The first well-substantiated claim that paranormal action ca! ~ produce structural change was made by Crussard and Bouvaist ( , who investigated the adult French metal-bender Jean-Pierr Girard. Probably the most significant report they published we that physical change could be induced in aluminium alloy AU4SG-1T351 and AU4G-T351, “without actual bending occur ing. However there was some permanent deformation ot th Farr eleasiec2 z ln} at the strip t me thinner b veral microns. Tt ‘ i ROOOSIOY ' OHA-RDPYEOUTABROG OA SOOT Ss tmany points a tl microhardness of the metal; an easily detectable enhanceme ++
ach) ) ve abou a served on — | earn sHOVEd TBF REIEASS ZONA IUROT, cld-RDP96-007 R0020001 3061-5 scope of the foils from the hardness-enhanced section revealed a high density of loop and other dislocations. ep) = Cc Vertical Horizontal Parraliel to sides ne 40 160 0 20 40 60 80 fe) (deg) 5, a) Histogram of ratios of corresponding extension to contraction signals obtained during Stephen North sessions. b) Histogram of directions of signals (irrespective of their magnitude) obiained in session SNU. TABLE 2. Statistics of Directional Vectors. Snape of epecioen Wusber of Nusbar of Number of Rawarke extensions autensions contractions accompanied accompanied accompanied ! By contiacibun Uy sAlension of by contractle i y | 4 ° 4 | {square | eite 5S cm Approved For.Release 2001/03/07, : CIA-RDP9 A sensor fractured Roozo0nia0ens | 126 +- ome . °. “e . a mg RO & s NSE- 4 Hardness : t-— (Vickers 130 2 yee HV3 - oe 1° sla ———1___.___L. 20 40 60 80 00 120 140 x(mn) —— 6. Paranormal hardness variation at centre of either side of aluminium alloy Open data points taken by Dr. Desvaux (Leatherhead), closed datapoints k Bouvaist (Voreppe). Solid tines represent mean of pre-exposure data (ty points shown as crosses). This claim is of such significance that it has been a m of great importance that it be confirmed or disproven. therefore invited metal-bender Jean-Pierre Girard to London under witnessing exposed a similarly prepared specime AU4G-T351 to his action. A small decrease (3 Km) in thickness of the specimen was monitored during exposure. A wards the microhardness of both sides of the specimen independently measured by”Dr"Desvaux at the Electrical search Accociation and by Dr. Bouvaist at the Pechiney tab tories. The comparison between their data is seen to be satisfac - in Figure 6, and a local hardness enhancement is clearly s Similar experiments with metal-bending children are in prog When a metal is bent, physically or paranormnally, the » hardening at the bend is associated with new dislocations. 7 are not usually loop dislocations, which can be produce exposure to nuclear radiation. Metals in which dislocations induced do not always bend, but internal strains are set up, a these are of appropriate magnitude.and configuration, p! deformaffon can occur. We could make a reasonable supposition that a ‘prin event in the paranormal metal-bending process is the formati loop and other dislocations. These need not necessarily rest actual plastic deformation. In this way both hardness enhe ment and bending could be classed as the same type of e differing only in geometrical configuration of the action. PERMANENT DEFORMATION OCCURS We have seen that the elastic dynamic strain signals continually in their geometrical configuration (1,2,3). It is. that these represent the dynamic strains caused by the produ of the dislocations; when there is a sufficient gradient of re: strain, the yield point is reached, and permanent deform occurs. Thus the paranormal metal-bending action, albeit lin macroscopically to a ‘surface of action’(2), which is still at SG SBROT AON HHT T.5; essentially an in acuon, i C : thatit was “information v brought about dislocations in the lattice; this ‘information’ wall he cannected with the role of the observer in aua