Improved instrumental techniques, including isotopic analysis, applicable to the characterization of unusual materials with potential relevance to aerospace forensics
Jacques F. Vallee, Garry P. Nolan, Sizun Jiang, Larry G. Lemke
Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 128
Summary
The foundational UAP materials science methods paper — establishes the ICP-MS and SIMS protocols that underpin all subsequent anomalous materials analysis in the field. Vallee, Nolan (Stanford), Jiang (Stanford), and Lemke review modern mass spectrometry and isotopic analysis techniques applied to materials of unknown origin, provide a practical framework for distinguishing terrestrial from anomalous isotopic signatures, and discuss lessons from applying these methods to solid samples. Published in Progress in Aerospace Sciences — the same Elsevier journal as `knuth-2025-new-science-uap`. Distinct from `nolan-2023-materials-analysis` (which reports specific isotopic findings); this paper establishes the analytical infrastructure those findings rely on.
Abstract
We review common modern mass spectrometry techniques applicable to unknown materials analysis, focusing on improvements made to these technologies by Silicon Valley companies and other research teams in recent years. The paper provides an overview of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) as applied to the characterization of solid materials in aerospace forensic contexts. We describe practical experiences applying these techniques to the characterization of samples whose provenance and composition are unknown, comparing results with previously undertaken isotopic analysis and establishing protocols for identifying isotopic compositions that deviate from known terrestrial or meteoritic standards. We discuss the significance of isotopic anomalies as potential indicators of unusual manufacturing processes or non-terrestrial origin, and we present our methodology as a replicable framework for future materials analyses relevant to unidentified aerial phenomena research.
Citation
Jacques F. Vallee, Garry P. Nolan, Sizun Jiang, Larry G. Lemke. (2022). Progress in Aerospace Sciences. Vol. 128. DOI: 10.1016/j.paerosci.2021.100788
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2021.100788Related Papers
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