[CNI News is pleased to reprint this introductory report from RIAP, which describes the efforts of serious scientists in the Ukraine to come to grips with what they term "genuine UFOs" or "GUFOs." Since the breakup of the former Soviet Union, it has become apparent that scientists and military figures in Russia and other former Soviet republics (now called the Commonwealth of Independent States or CIS) are much more willing than their western counterparts to acknowledge the fact, and potential importance, of truly anomalous UFO phenomena.]
by Vladimir V. Rubtsov, Director, RIAP
RIAP Scientific Council, Kharkov, Ukraine
[January 15, 1996] -- The Research Institute on Anomalous Phenomena (RIAP) was established in 1992. It is an independent research body, aimed at scientific studies in the fields of the UFO problem and non-classical SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). The Institute makes its investigations in close collaboration with the CIS Academy of Cosmonautics and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Specific features of the UFO problem are well-known. UFO sightings are unpredictable and therefore difficult to investigate with "normal" scientific methods and equipment. Although evident progress has been made in the last few decades in collecting and analyzing raw data on UFO observations, the nature of "genuine UFOs" (GUFOs) still remains an open question. The ufological community has at its disposal a huge amount of UFO reports (mostly of low quality), together with undeveloped methods of data treatment and hypotheses testing. As a result, "big science" tries to keep aloof from this field of research.
To open a way to the solution of the UFO problem, it should be posed as a normal scientific problem, in complete conformity to the cognitive standards of science. Being multidisciplinary, it is to be divided into narrow mono-disciplinary sub-problems which could be developed methodologically and rigorously, while providing efficient interdisciplinary coordination. It is most essential to organize systematic gathering and processing of instrumental information on UFO sightings, to obtain really "hard" data on the phenomenon. This information will give a basis for a complete picture and well-founded theoretical models.
The principal trends of UFO research at the Institute are as follows: development of methods and strategies of active monitoring of UFOs; instrumental studies of supposed landing sites, impacts on biological systems and UFO samples; creation of an efficient system of reconstruction of a real anomalous event on the basis of witnesses' testimonies; creation of a unified UFO data base and a computer expert system to identify GUFOs; development of physical models of GUFOs; examination of supposed contact cases between humans and aliens.
The SETI problem is considered by established science as worthy of attention, at least when a radio-search for ETIs is concerned. But results of such experiments are rather disappointing. To increase the likelihood of successful solution of this problem, it is essential to supplement the search for interstellar signals with the search for alien artifacts (space bases, extraterrestrial probes, various technical devices, etc., or their remnants) in the Solar System. One of the most promising sites for such a search is the Moon. This atmosphere-free satellite is, by its very nature, a potential "reserve" of possible traces of extraterrestrial visitations over a period of several billions of years.
The Institute is carrying out the program "Search for Alien Artifacts on the Moon" (SAAM). This program includes:
a) search for sunlight reflections from flat (mirror-like) surfaces of hypothetical ET objects (e.g. reconnaissance devices monitoring the Earth);
b) search for other assumed artificial extraterrestrial phenomena on the Lunar surface;
c) consideration of the possibility of interaction between the terrestrial and extraterrestrial civilizations on the Moon;
d) simulation of probable ETI strategies for the Moon.
These investigations employ photographs of various regions of the Lunar surface taken from "Apollo", "Lunar Orbiter", "Luna" and "Zond" spacecraft, as well as the existing catalogues of Lunar Transient Phenomena (LTP) and the data obtained by the network of LTP observers that have been recently set up by the Institute especially for this purpose. The network involves at present a group of competent observers in Ukraine, Russia and Byelaruss.
The Scientific Council and Advisory Board of the Institute include such Russian and Ukrainian specialists in the UFO problem and SETI field as A.V.Arkhipov (radio astronomer who has discovered supposed ETI radio sources near some distant stars), A.V.Beletsky (historian studying pre-1917 UFO waves in Russia), Dr. E.A.Ermilov (specialist in radio detection of aerial anomalous phenomena), Dr. V.N.Fomenko (investigator of the famous Vashka find, as well as other supposed ET artifacts), Yu.A.Fomin (doyen of UFO studies in Russia), Dr. L.M.Gindilis (astronomer and SETI expert), Dr. Yu.V.Platov (Vice-Chairman of the Academic UFO Study Group), Dr. V.K.Zhuravlev (investigator of the Tunguska explosion), and others. The Advisory Board includes also a group of well-known Western scientists, scholars and engineers -- V.J.Ballester Olmos (Spain), Dr. T.E.Bullard (USA), Dr. R.F.Haines (USA), Dr. A.Meessen (Belgium), et al. Dr. V.V.Rubtsov is Director of the Institute.
To inform the ufological community about results of investigations that are being conducted by RIAP specialists, we have started, in 1994, a special periodical, the "RIAP Bulletin" (RB). It is the ONLY serious anomalistic periodical in the Commonwealth of Independent States published IN ENGLISH. There appear in RB scientific papers, short communications, book reviews, letters to the Editor, etc.
RB Vol. 1, Nos. 1 - 4 and Vol. 2, Nos. 1 - 4 have been printed and sent to subscribers. They contain, in particular, the papers "Post-Soviet Ufology: a View from Inside" and "Alternative Science?" by V.V.Rubtsov; "UFOs as Objects of Study by Terrestrial Physics" by V.A.Buerakov; "Astrodynamical Aspects of Paleovisitology" and "UFOs on the Moon" by A.V.Arkhipov; "UFOs: a Possible Mechanism of Formation, Behavior and Environmental Impact" by V.I.Mazhuga; "The Petrozavodsk Phenomenon", by Dr. L.M.Gindilis & Yu.K.Kolpakov, and others. We have also published the first really comprehensive survey of anomalous features of the famous Tunguska explosion ("The Tunguska Meteorite: A Dead-Lock or the Start of a New Stage of Inquiry?"), written by the leading Russian specialist in this problem, Dr. Nikolay V. Vasilyev, Member of Academy.
There will appear in the next RB issues, in particular, the following papers: "The Black Ball: a Supposed Extraterrestrial Artifact", by Dr. V.N.Fomenko; "New Data on Genetic Impact by the Tunguska Space Body", by N.V.Vasilyev; "UFOs: False and Genuine", by the Russian academic UFO expert Dr. Yu.V.Platov; "A Second UFO Landing on the Mzha River, near Kharkov, on December 6, 1995", by a group of RIAP scientists, and many others.
RIAP Bulletin is published four times per year. Subscription rates: a life-long subscription - $100; 12 issues (three years) - $50; 8 issues (two years) - $35; 4 issues (one year) - $20. Airmail postage included.
To subscribe to the RIAP Bulletin, please send a cheque, drawn on a US bank, or a US money order, or an international POSTAL money order to the following address: Mr. Gary Burgansky, RIAP-US, 1915 Seagirt Blvd., Suite 7A, Far Rockaway, NY 11691-3784, USA. The money should be made payable to: "Gary Burgansky".
Institute mailing address: RIAP, P.O.Box 4684, 310022 Kharkov-22, Ukraine. Fax: +380 (57-2) 79-11-11.
Original file name: .CNI - RIAP.Ukraine UFO 1.15
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