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1be EVidenceol fhe Radar Screen
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If skeptics of the phenomenon of un
side lobes can project a weak return
field of the beam and distort their size,
identified flying objects had a motto, it
from an object detected by the main
speed, or altitude.
would probably be "show me proof."
beam; the two blips of light moving
Proof exists, say many UFO investiga
across the radarscope will appear as a
both ground-based and aircraft radar,
tors in reply to this charge, pointing to
small target chasing a larger one. Ab
and experienced operators know how
visual sightings that are backed up by
normal atmospheric conditions may
to interpret them. But more than a few
the presumably objective eye of radar.
also cause reflected waves to move or
observers have been baffied by some
to portray targets outside the normal
returns that have crossed their
Radar, an acronym for radio detect-
Phantom images have appeared on
screens, and a number of radar tracked UFO episodes remain unex plained -at least to the satisfaction of those who tracked them. Although radar may add some credi bility to UFO sightings, cautious researchers -such as the British urol ogist Jenny Randles-recognize the limitations of the science. "Radar evi dence is not, unfortunately, a talisman for the ufologist," she explains, "but is as complex and ambiguous in its inter pretation as any other kind of report."
A radar operator on an airforce jet that wasjlylng near Bermuda in 1 954 detected seven uniden rifled objects moving in unison across his radarscope. Although a radio check indicated no naval actMty in the area, the inddent was later attributed to ship movement.
ing and ranging, works by directing electromagnetic waves at an object. The waves reflect from the target back to a receiving device that determines the object's distance, direction, and rate of speed. This infonnation is translated into video signals and dis played on a screen. Unfortunately, radar is not foolproof. Frequently, radar reflections-or re turns, as they are called-appear on the screen where no target is present. Some phantom returns are easily rec ognized as waves bouncing off ground objects. Others, however, are more dif ficult to identify. Radio waves diffracted from the main beam, called side lobes, may transmit a return that seems to come from an object in the path of the main beam. If the target is moving, the mis placed return moves too. In addition,
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