http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/i-team-exclusive-sen-reid-discusses-ufo-study/883885259
LAS VEGAS - The existence of the UFO study was first reported by the I-Team back in October. That's when a high-ranking intelligence officer in charge of the program quit to take a job with a private company.
Over the weekend, news of Harry Reid's role in the study surfaced in news reports. The senator gave his only on camera interview to the I-Team's George Knapp.
Harry Reid's interest in UFOs dates back to 1989 because that is when George Knapp first had conversations with him on the topic.
In the years since, Reid quietly collected more information, met with scientists, intelligence officials, and other experts, and finally authorized a study that was carried out by a company created by a Las Vegas billionaire.
Since the story broke on Saturday, Reid has been bombarded with media requests, but he gave his only on camera interview to the I-Team.
The release this weekend of videos recorded by military pilots is unusual because, officially, the U.S. government stopped collecting information about UFOs back in 1969, when the Air Force canceled Project Blue Book. But in the decades since, pilots and others continued to encounter technology that is beyond anything known on earth.
Video footage of unidentified aerial phenomenon
"If China, Russia, Japan, other countries are doing this and we're not, then something is wrong because if the technology, as described and the way people see this movement took place in anything we have available to us, it would kill everybody. They couldn't withstand the G-forces. something sitting there, whom, down it goes," says former U.S. Senator Harry Reid.
His interest in UFOs extends back to the 1980s. It was rekindled in the 90s when Reid spoke to senator and former astronaut John Glenn about unknown aerial objects. Reid eventually met in a secure room in the U.S. capitol to ask Senators Daniel Inouye and Ted Stevens if they would authorize funds for a quiet but serious study of UFOs. Both agreed.
I-Team Reporter George Knapp: "Are you glad the story is out?"
Harry Reid: "I'm very glad, because now we have scientific evidence."
Reid says he is proud to have had a hand in kickstarting the Pentagon study, and contrary to some media reports, the information collected was impressive.
"For nearly the next decade, I ran sensitive aerospace identification program focusing on unidentified aerial technologies, it was in this position that I learned the phenomena is indeed real," says Luis Elizondo, To The Stars Academy.
Until three months ago, Elizondo worked directly for the secretary of defense and was the Pentagon's point man for collection of data about mysterious encounters. When he announced in October that he'd been in charge of a 10-year UFO study, the news was largely ignored by mainstream media. Now, it has blossomed into a huge story, in part because Reid acknowledges his own role in getting the funds approved.
"Even though this was a secure program,we wanted to make sure people couldn't complain about it that it was some sweetheart deal. No, it was put out to bid," Reid says.
The contract was posted for months. The winning bid came from Las Vegas space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, a billionaire who had funded his own UFO studies for years. Bigelow built secure facilities inside his aerospace company.
At its peak, the study had 46 scientists working at the Nevada facility, writing reports and analyzing data that came in from the military. Rapid response teams were dispatched to the scene of UFO events. Over five years, the project cost a total of 22 million. it wasn't a money maker for Bigelow.
"I'm sure the reason it helped is that he gave the best cost. He was willing to build the infrastructure and build everything on his own because he liked the topic," Reid says.
In some news stories about the UFO study, anonymous staffers say Reid stopped supporting the study because it produced no solid information.
So, why did the study end? Reid and others involved in the project say one factor is that intelligence officials were petrified that someone would find out about it and it would end up on the front page of a newspaper.
And there were other officials who had religious objections.
The I-Team will have more exclusive content Wednesday, including specifics on what was learned during the study, and which UFO incidents were the most unusual.
Quelle: 8 Las Vegas Now
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If the shape is due to flare, then I suspect it would come from streaks on the outer surface. Maybe from cleaning, or maybe from precipitation+airspeed.
So could it be that occasion movement of the coarse outer axes is responsible for the rotation of the shape of the IR flare? It's tracked from 54°L to 6°R, meaning it goes over 0° - which might mean some outer gimbal action was required. There's also a significant change in angle when lock is briefly lost.
Plastic is what you need to cover the wavelength range, and also for anisotropic scattering.
Last edited by a moderator:
Yesterday at 2:56 PM +++
Plastic is what you need to cover the wavelength range, and also for anisotropic scattering.
That does sound like something that would contribute to flare/glare.
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That does sound like something that would contribute to flare/glare.
The alternatives such as sodium chloride and potassium bromide are not very robust. zinc selenide looks yellow.:
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The Correct Material for Infrared (IR) Applications
Introduction to Infrared | Importance of the Correct Material | Choose the Correct Material | Infrared Comparison
Introduction to Infrared (IR)
Infrared (IR) radiation is characterized by wavelengths ranging from 0.750 -1000μm (750 - 1000000nm). Due to limitations on detector range, IR radiation is often divided into three smaller regions: 0.750 - 3μm, 3 - 30μm, and 30 - 1000μm – defined as near-infrared (NIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and far-infrared (FIR), respectively (Figure 1). Infrared products are used extensively in a variety of applications ranging from the detection of IR signals in thermal imaging to element identification in IR spectroscopy. As the need for IR applications grows and technology advances, manufacturers have begun to utilize IR materials in the design of plano-optics (i.e. windows , mirrors , polarizers , beamsplitters , prisms ), spherical lenses (i.e. plano-concave/convex, double-concave/convex, meniscus), aspheric lenses (parabolic, hyperbolic, hybrid), achromatic lenses , and assemblies (i.e. imaging lenses, beam expanders, eyepieces, objectives). These IR materials, or substrates, vary in their physical characteristics. As a result, knowing the benefits of each allows one to select the correct material for any IR application.
Figure 1: Electromagnetic SpectrumThe Importance of Using the Correct Material
Since infrared light is comprised of longer wavelengths than visible light, the two regions behave differently when propagating through the same optical medium. Some materials can be used for either IR or visible applications, most notably fused silica , BK7 and sapphire ; however, the performance of an optical system can be optimized by using materials better suited to the task at hand. To understand this concept, consider transmission, index of refraction, dispersion and gradient index. For more in-depth information on specifications and properties, view Optical Glass .
Transmission
The foremost attribute defining any material is transmission. Transmission is a measure of throughput and is given as a percentage of the incident light. IR materials are usually opaque in the visible while visible materials are usually opaque in the IR; in other words, they exhibit nearly 0% transmission in those wavelength regions. For example, consider silicon , which transmits IR but not visible light (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Uncoated Silicon Transmission CurveIndex of Refraction
While it is mainly transmission that classifies a material as either an IR or visible material, another important attribute is index of refraction (nd). Index of refraction is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light within a given material. It is a means of quantifying the effect of light "slowing down" as it enters a high index medium from a low index medium. It is also indicative of how much light is refracted when obliquely encountering a surface, where more light is refracted as ndincreases (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Light Refraction from a Low Index to a High Index MediumThe index of refraction ranges from approximately 1.45 - 2 for visible materials and 1.38 - 4 for IR materials. In many cases, index of refraction and density share a positive correlation, meaning IR materials can be heavier than visible materials; however, a higher index of refraction also implies diffraction-limited performance can be achieved with fewer lens elements – reducing overall system weight and cost.
Dispersion
Dispersion is a measure of how much the index of refraction of a material changes with respect to wavelength. It also determines the separation of wavelengths known as chromatic aberration. Quantitatively, dispersion is inversely given by the Abbe number (vd), which is a function of the refractive index of a material at the f (486.1nm), d (587.6nm), and c (656.3nm) wavelengths (Equation 1).
(1) Materials with an Abbe number greater than 55 (less dispersive) are considered crown materials and those with an Abbe number less than 50 (more dispersive) are considered flint materials. The Abbe number for visible materials ranges from 20 - 80, while the Abbe number for IR materials ranges from 20 - 1000.
Index Gradient
The index of refraction of a medium varies as the temperature changes. This index gradient (dn/dT) can be problematic when operating in unstable environments, especially if the system is designed to operate for one value of n. Unfortunately, IR materials are typically characterized by larger values of dn/dT than visible materials (compare N-BK7, which can be used in the visible, to germanium , which only transmits in the IR in the Key Material Attributes table in Infrared Comparison ).
How to Choose the Correct Material
When choosing the correct IR material, there are three simple points to consider. Though the selection process is easier because there is a much smaller practical selection of materials for use in the infrared compared to the visible, these materials also tend to be more expensive due to fabrication and material costs.
Thermal Properties – Frequently, optical materials are placed in environments where they are subjected to varying temperatures. Additionally, a common concern with IR applications is their tendency to produce a large amount of heat. A material's index gradient and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) should be evaluated to ensure the user is met with the desired performance. CTE is the rate at which a material expands or contracts given a change in temperature. For example, germanium has a very high index gradient, possibly degrading optical performance if used in a thermally volatile setting.
Transmission – Different applications operate within different regions of the IR spectrum. Certain IR substrates perform better depending on the wavelength at hand (Figure 4). For example, if the system is meant to operate in the MWIR, germanium is a better choice than sapphire , which works well in the NIR.
Index of Refraction – IR materials vary in terms of index of refraction far more than visible materials do, allowing for more variation in system design. Unlike visible materials (such as N-BK7) that work well throughout the entire visible spectrum, IR materials are often limited to a small band within the IR spectrum, especially when anti-reflection coatings are applied.
Figure 4: Infrared Substrate Comparison (Wavelength Range for N-BK7 is Representative for the Majority of Substrates Used for Visible Wavelengths Such as B270, N-SF11, BOROFLOAT®, etc.)Infrared Comparison
Although dozens of IR materials exist, only a handful is predominantly used within the optics, imaging, and photonics industries to manufacture off-the-shelf components. Calcium fluoride , fused silica , germanium , magnesium fluoride, N-BK7, potassium bromide, sapphire , silicon , sodium chloride, zinc selenide and zinc sulfide each have their own unique attributes that distinguish them from each other, in addition to making them suitable for specific applications. The following tables provide a comparison of some commonly used substrates.
Key IR Material Attributes
Name Index of Refraction (nd) Abbe Number (vd) Density CTE dn/dT Knoop Hardness
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)
1.434
95.1
3.18
18.85
-10.6
158.3
Fused Silica (FS)
1.458
67.7
2.2
0.55
11.9
500
Germanium (Ge)
4.003
N/A
5.33
6.1
396
780
Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2)
1.413
106.2
3.18
13.7
1.7
415
N-BK7
1.517
64.2
2.46
7.1
2.4
610
Potassium Bromide (KBr)
1.527
33.6
2.75
43
-40.8
7
Sapphire
1.768
72.2
3.97
5.3
13.1
2200
Silicon (Si)
3.422
N/A
2.33
2.55
1.60
1150
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
1.491
42.9
2.17
44
-40.8
18.2
Zinc Selenide (ZnSe)
2.403
N/A
5.27
7.1
61
120
Zinc Sulfide (ZnS)
2.631
N/A
5.27
7.6
38.7
120
IR Material Comparison
Name Properties / Typical Applications
Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)
Low Absorption, High Refractive Index Homogeneity
Used in Spectroscopy, Semiconductor Processing, Cooled Thermal Imaging
Fused Silica (FS)
Low CTE and Excellent Transmission in IR
Used in Interferometry, Laser Instrumentation, Spectroscopy
Germanium (Ge)
High nd, High Knoop Hardness, Excellent MWIR to FIR Transmission
Used in Thermal Imaging, Rugged IR Imaging
Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2)
High CTE, Low Index of Refraction, Good Transmission from Visible to MWIR
Used in Windows, Lenses, and Polarizers that Do Not Require Anti-Reflection Coatings
N-BK7
Low-Cost Material, Works Well in Visible and NIR Applications
Used in Machine Vision, Microscopy, Industrial Applications
Potassium Bromide (KBr)
Good Resistance to Mechanical Shock, Water Soluble, Broad Transmission Range
Used in FTIR spectroscopy
Sapphire
Very Durable and Good Transmission in IR
Used in IR Laser Systems, Spectroscopy, and Rugged Environmental Equipment
Silicon (Si)
Low Cost and Lightweight
Used in Spectroscopy, MWIR Laser Systems, THz Imaging
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
Water Soluble, Low Cost, Excellent Transmission from 250nm to 16μm, Sensitive to Thermal Shock
Used in FTIR spectroscopy
Zinc Selenide (ZnSe)
Low Absorption, High Resistance to Thermal Shock
CO2 Laser Systems and Thermal Imaging
Zinc Sulfide (ZnS)
Excellent Transmission in Both Visible and IR, Harder and More Chemically Resistant than ZnSe
Used in Thermal Imaging
https://www.edmundoptics.com/resour...e-correct-material-for-infrared-applications/
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Not when the boss of the AAV investigation bureau with his 20-something million$ is a UFO believer.
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I'm thinking the shape around the object is some kind of IR flare/glare. We know that the shape of a very bright IR source, like the engine of a plane, can be much bigger than the object itself, like with this A340
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