Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

4. Autumobile Engine r-~alfunctioll anu jJeadljght Failure
Reports of temporary stalling of automobile motors by UFOs con-
stitute one of the more puzz.ling aspects of UFO reports. The automobiles
are invariably reported to operate normally after the UFO leaves the
vicinity, and no permanent damage to the car's ignitio:l or lighting
system i~ indicated.
One explanation advanced for such effects has been that UFOs some-
how ionize the air to such an extent that norlilal internal combustion is
prevented. This is considered unlHely because no concomitant physio-
logical or physical cf~ects that su~h ionization would cause are reported.
~1echani.sms capable of short-circuiti.ng automobile electrical systems do
not take intu ac~ount the claim tllat normal operation resumes after depar-
ture of the UFO.
There remains the hypothesis that automobile motors are stopped or
their performan(;c interfered wi til by nlugnet ic ficlJs a5sociated 'oli th
UFOs. To test this hypothesis, the project sought, as the fjrst step,
to determine the minimwn magnetic field strength that would cause motor
malfunction. Tests of the efhct of a high intensity magnettc field 011
individual components of an automobile 19nitioll system have been carried
out at a major national lab:.>ratory using an d~'ctromagnet capable of pr.Q-
ducing a field up to 10 kg lkilogauss) across an area 9 in. in diam 0 ter.
The engineer has requested that his identity lIot be disclosed ill tins
report. At a meetlng sponsored by the pruJect ill Boulder, he presented
his experimental results. lie used a simplified simulated automobile
ignition s~'steJl\, pladng eacll L:OmpOlll'llt ill tUl'll in the magnetic field,
h'hich was illcreasi.'d slowly from-·"':(} kg. lhl' Ji:·,trU'lltor was turned by
an l' lectril~ motor out s i uc the JIIugllc't ic f i cJ u. III i resul ts are show)'
in Tabl e 1.
151
~. AutclIllobile Engine ~~alfunction and Ileadljght Failure
Reports of tcmporary stalling of automobile mutors by UFOs con-
:;titute one of the morc puzzling aspects of UFO reports. The automobiles
are invadably reported to operate normally after the UFO leaves the
vicinity, and no permanent damage to the car's ignition or lighting
system i! indicuted.
One explanation advanced for ;;uch effects has been that UFOs some-
how ioniz~ the air to such an extellt that normal internal combustion is
prevented. This is considered unlikely because no concomitant physio-
logical or physical ef~ects that su~h ionization would cause are repcrted.
Mechanlsms copable of short-circuiting automobile electrical systems do
not take into ac~ount the claim that normal operation resumes after depar-
ture of the UFO.
There remains the hypothesis that automobile motors arc stopped or
their performance interfered with by nlagllC'tic fidu:; a5sociated ~~ith
UFO~. To test this hypothesis, the proje\.:t sought, as the fjr~t step,
to determine the minimwn magnetic field strength that would cause motor
malfunction. Tests of the effect of a high intensity magnetic field on
individual components of an automobile 19l1l tion system have been carried
out at a major national lab:.Jratory using an el',>ctromagnet capable of pr.Q-
ducing a field up to 10 kg lkilogauss) acros~ an area 9 in. in di~m'ter.
The engineer has requested that his identity lIot be disclosed ill thlS
report. At a meetlng sponsored by the project ill Boulder, he presented
his experimental results. lie useu a simplified slmulateu automobile
19nitioll s~'stl'J1\, plilCing eaell compOlll,llt ill tUl'/] in the magnetic field,
"'hieh was i Ilcn:aseu slow ly from· -20 kg. Thc di :,( I ihltor was turned by
an clectril~ motor Llutside the JIIaglll·tic field. llj i results arc show!'
in Table 1.
151