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by Dr. Steven Mizrach
from TheSamizdatPage Website
1 - HAARP FACT
SHEET
"HAARP", an acronym for "High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program", is a project having the goal of studying
fundamental physical principles which govern the region of the
earth's atmosphere known as the ionosphere. It is through this
region that earth-based communications and radar transmissions must
travel to reach satellites or to probe solar and planetary bodies;
and conversely, for radio signals from outside the immediate
environment of the earth to reach its surface.
It also is from these ionized layers
that radio waves reflect to achieve over-the-horizon communication
and radar systems. The proposed research will be undertaken using
high power radio transmitters to probe the overhead ionosphere,
combined with a complement of modern scientific diagnostic
instruments to investigate the results of the interactions.
HAARP would be constructed at auroral latitudes in Alaska. A unique
feature of the research facility would be a high power high-frequency radio transmitter with the capability of rapidly steering
a narrow beam of energy toward a designated region of the sky.
Similar, though less capable, research facilities exist today at
many locations throughout the world and are operated routinely for
the purpose of scientific investigation of the ionosphere.
None of these existing systems, however,
have the combination of frequency capability and beam steering
agility required to perform the experiments planned for HAARP.
A congressionally initiated effort,
HAARP is being managed cooperatively by the Air Force and Navy. The
Air Force is responsible for oversight of the environmental process,
site acquisition, and implementation of scientific instruments
associated with the facility. The Navy is responsible for
procurement of the primary contract to design and construct the high
power, high-frequency radio transmitter.
Users of the HAARP research facility
would include civilian entities such as universities and the
National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as military
agencies such as the Air Force, Navy, and Advanced Research
Programs Agency (ARPA).
Value of Ionospheric Research
The layer of earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere begins
approximately 35 miles above the surface and extends out beyond 500
miles. In contrast to the atmosphere close to the earth which is
composed of neutral atoms and molecules, the ionosphere contains
both positively and negatively charged particles known as ions and
electrons. These ions and electrons are created naturally as a
result of the action of the sun's radiation.
This ionized gas of the ionosphere behaves much differently from the
neutral atmosphere closer to the earth. A major difference is that
radio signals passing through the ionosphere may be distorted,
totally reflected or absorbed. For example, communication links from
the ground to earth-orbiting satellites can experience fading due to
ionospheric distortion; an AM radio signal sometimes can reflect, or
"skip , from the ionosphere and be heard at locations hundreds of
miles distant from the broadcasting radio station; the
characteristic fading on the high-frequency (HF) or "shortwave" band
is due to ionospheric interference.
Because of its strong interaction with
radiowaves, the ionosphere can interfere with communications and
radar surveillance systems, which depend on sending radiowaves from
one location to another.
Investigations to be conducted at the HAARP facility are expected to
provide significant scientific advancements in understanding the
ionosphere. The research facility would be used to understand,
stimulate and control ionospheric processes that might alter the
performance of communication and surveillance systems.
This research would enhance present
civilian capabilities because it would facilitate the development of
techniques to mitigate or control ionospheric processes. Ionospheric
disturbances at high latitudes also can act to induce large currents
in electric power grids: these are thought to cause power outages.
Understanding of these and other phenomena is important to maintain
reliable communication and power services. Other civilian
applications from the program's research could lead to improved
local and world-wide communication such as satellite communication.
Furthermore, and possibly more
significant, is the potential for new technology that could be
developed from a better understanding of ionospheric processes.
DoD Involvement
Potential applications of the HAARP research include developing DoD
(Department of Defense)
technology for detecting cruise missiles and aircraft and for
communicating with submarines.
Although HAARP is being managed by the
Air Force and Navy, it is purely a scientific research facility
which represents no threat to potential adversaries and would
therefore have no value as a military target.
HAARP Transmissions
HAARP would transmit HF radiowaves in a narrow beam, pointed upward
to interact with the ionosphere. The beam would be several degrees
wide, depending on frequency, and thus would influence a region
several miles in diameter in the lower ionosphere, expanding to
several tens of miles in the upper ionosphere. The transmissions
would be accomplished through the design and construction of a
world-class ionospheric research instrument (IRI).
Ionospheric changes produced experimentally by the IRI would be
similar to phenomena which occur under natural conditions. However,
nature operates on a much larger scale, and for a much longer
duration, than would the IRI. The effect of the IRI would be
temporary only; the ionosphere would return to its original state
within a matter of seconds and there would be no lasting changes.
Because most of the energy of the high power radio beam would be
emitted upward rather than toward the horizon, potentially hazardous
values of radio field strength would not be present at ground level
except possibly very close to the IRI. To prevent human and large
mammal exposure to these near-in fields, an exclusion fence would be
constructed.
The upward-directed IRI main beam could be sufficiently strong
potentially to interfere with electronic equipment in aircraft
flying nearby. To preclude this possibility, an aircraft detection
radar would be interfaced with the operations center of the IRI, to
automatically turn-off the high power transmissions should aircraft
be detected flying on a route to pass through the radiowave beam.
The IRI would be constrained to operate within the 2.8 - 10
megahertz (MHz) band on a clear-channel, non-interference basis.
Theoretical calculations indicate that interference with television,
AM and FM radio, ham radios, cellular phones and/or satellite dishes
possibly may be anticipated, in addition to the possibility of
interference with HAARP's own radio equipment.
The Air Force and Navy are committed to
a mitigation program that includes acquisition of equipment to
minimize out-of-band transmissions; properly orienting the IRI array
to reduce signals emitted toward local population centers; adoption
of operating procedures, including beam steering, to reduce the
percentage of time large signal levels would be transmitted toward
large cities; employing special techniques such as null placement;
and working with complainants to reach a mutually satisfactory
solution.
A smaller, less powerful, IRI will be
constructed as a demonstration prototype to ensure mitigation
techniques will alleviate possible interference.
HAARP Facilities
The major components of the main HAARP research facility would
include the IRI, the combined Operations Center & Diesel Power
Building, and a number of scientific instruments used for data-gathering, termed "diagnostics", placed at various locations on the HAARP site. The IRI would consist of an antenna array and associated
transmitters, operated from a control room within the Operations
Center. The diagnostics would be used to observe the natural
parameters of the ionosphere as well as the experimental results
with the lRI operating.
The antenna would occupy a rectangular area roughly 1000 ft x 1200
ft and would consist of a 12 x 15 array of antenna masts, each
supporting two horizontal crossed dipole antennas, stacked one above
the other. The masts would reach a maximum height of 72 ft and would
be constrained by guy wires. It is anticipated that the masts would
sit on individual piles; gravel fill between the rows and columns of
masts would permit access by maintenance vehicles.
While some of the diagnostic instruments would be collocated with
the IRI at the research facility, others, due to data collection
requirements, must be located off-site at some distance from the IRI.
One of the primary on-site diagnostics would be an incoherent
scatter radar (ISR) which would transmit radiowave signals in the
430 - 450 MHz band. The ISR would be a 120 ft diameter radar dish
supported by a 25 ft diameter pedestal.
The combined power demands of the IRI and ISR would be roughly 12
megawatts (MW). The method of power supply has not been finalized;
however, the use of diesel generators is under consideration.
Design and Construction
As the result of a competitive procurement the Air Force and Navy
have awarded a contract to ARCO Power Technologies, Inc. (APTI) for
the design and construction of the IRI and associated support
facilities. The IRI design was selected while considering both cost
and environmental impacts. The current schedule anticipates
construction at the Gakona site would begin November 1993 and
conclude the fall of 1994 with the demonstration prototype.
Construction for the full-size IRI is
anticipated to begin early 1995 and conclude late 1997.
Site Location
As part of the environmental decision making process, Gakona and
Clear AFS were considered as alternative sites for the HAARP
facility. On 18 October 1993, a Record of Decision (ROD) was signed
by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for
Installations, selecting Gakona, Alaska as the site for the HAARP
Ionospheric Research Facility.
The ROD signing follows the Air Force
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the
potential environmental effects of the HAARP facility.
Use of Local Resources
The prime contractor, APTI, has indicated that they anticipate use
of Alaska-based companies in constructing the facility. Green
Alaska, ARCO Alaska, Inc. and AHTNA, Inc., are among the companies
bang considered.
Postconstruction Operations of the
HAARP Research Facility
Since HAARP is to be devoted to ionospheric research, which
typically is conducted during a series of research campaigns, it
would be used periodically rather than continuously. Campaigns would
be scheduled four or five times a year, and typically would involve
10-15 visiting scientists conducting experiments at the site over a
two-week period.
During research campaigns the scientists
will depend on the local economy for food, lodging and other
necessities. Maintenance and security functions would be performed
by local personnel, who would reside off-site.
The HAARP research site is being planned
for a life of approximately 20 years.
Environmental Process
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the
Air Force has prepared an environmental impact statement (EIS), with
the Navy as a cooperating agency, to evaluate the consequences of
constructing and operating the HAARP research facility in Alaska.
State and federal environmental regulatory agencies were consulted
to identify issues which are addressed in the EIS.
Additional input was solicited from the
public during scoping meetings held in Alaska in August 1992. Topics
addressed in the EIS include, but are not limited to,
electromagnetic and radio frequency interference, vegetation,
wetlands, wildlife, air quality, subsistence, cultural resources and
the ionosphere.
The Air Force prepared and distributed to the public and to specific
organizations a draft EIS on 12 March 1993. During the subsequent
45-day public review period the Air Force held public hearings, at
both Glennallen and Anderson, Alaska to solicit input on the draft
EIS. All reasonable questions and comments received by 25 April
1993, the end of the public review period, were addressed in writing
in the final EIS, which was released to the public on 15 July 1993.
The Air Force signed a Record of Decision on 18 October 1993
selecting Gakona, Alaska as the site for the HAARP Ionospheric
Research Facility.
In addition to the NEPA process described above, the Air Force and
Navy would comply with all applicable state and federal regulations
for construction and operation of the HAARP facility.
Additional Information
An updated version of this fact sheet will be issued as often as
program changes warrant to keep interested parties apprised of
significant developments in regard to HAARP. Any individual seeking
additional information about HAARP, or wishing to provide comments
regarding HAARP, can contact any one of the individuals listed
below.
Mr. John Heckscher
Pl/gpia
Phillips Laboratory
29 Randolph Road
Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-3010
Mr. Ralph Scott
3rd Wing Public Affairs Division
Elmendorf AFB, AK 99506
Mr. Guy McConnell
Alaska District Corps of Engineers, Planning
Npaen-pl-er
Anchorage, Alaska 99506-0898
2 - Is Haarp A
Star-wars Weapon?
Defending against enemy missile attacks and other imagined threats
has generated futuristic and science fiction sounding proposals
better known as Starwars. Concepts and ideas circulated wildly
throughout government, military and civilian circles. As the former
Soviet Union broke up, the backing for U.S. Starwars efforts
evaporated and the spending on such projects was dropped. But not
soon enough. Many experimental starwars research projects are still
funded and being pursued by the military.
HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program), being
constructed for the Air Force and Navy by an ARCO subsidiary, is
such a project. Touted as scientific research, HAARP is a thinly
disguised project to "perturb" the ionosphere with extremely
powerful beams of energy to see what military uses it can serve.
According to the HAARP RFP, these energy
beams will be used to "control ionospheric processes in such a way
as to greatly enhance the performance of C3 systems (or, to deny
accessibility to an adversary)."
That sounds like a weapon to this
writer. Other such projects go by the code names BIME, RED AIR,
CRRES, EXCEDE, CHARGE IV, WISP, ACTIVE, HIPAS, RADC, AIM, etc..
Nuclear bombs exploded in high altitude tests in the late fifties
and early sixties by both the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. caused weather
and jet stream changes that lasted almost 20 years. Do the HAARP
heaters offer the same potential as they "perturb" the ionosphere?
The ionosphere is home to many beneficial natural phenomena among
them filtering the sun's harmful rays and reflecting radio waves
used for communications.
Although not totally understood, the
ionosphere also directly effects the weather systems and the jet
streams.
HAARP, "the most powerful facility (of its kind) in the world" is
currently under construction near Gakona, Alaska. Other smaller
ionospheric heaters of this type are already in operation in Norway,
Ukraine, Russia, Tadzhikistan, Puerto Rico and Fairbanks (yes, right
here in Alaska).
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Could tests and experiments with
these ionospheric heaters already be changing global weather
systems?
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Could they be a contributing
cause for the floods in the U.S.?
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Could this be the kind of secret
weapon that Zhirinovsky speaks of?
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Can these heaters change the
earth's magnetic fields as well and cause equal reactions
half-way around the globe?
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Will we need to protect
ourselves from the sun's rays due to new holes in the
ionosphere?
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What will happen to the
individuals living near HAARP when it operates, will they be
exposed to unnecessary risk of electromagnetic radiation?
Some of the specific language in the
HAARP documents is quoted below and on the next page:
"The HAARP is to ultimately have a
HF {High Frequency} heater with an ERP {Effective Radiated
Power} well above 1 gigawatt {1,000,000,000 watts} (on the order
of 95-100 dBW); in short, the most powerful facility in the
world for conducting ionospheric modification research."
"The Soviets, operating at higher powers than the West, now have
claimed significant stimulated ionization by electron-impact
ionization. The claim is that HF energy, via wave-particle
interaction, accelerates ionospheric electrons to energies well
in excess of 20 electron volts (eV) so that they will ionize
neutral atmospheric particles with which they collide.
Given
that the Soviet HF facilities are several times more powerful
than the Western facilities at comparable mid-latitudes, and
given that the latter appear to be on a threshold of a new "wave-particle"
regime of phenomena, it is believed that the Soviets have
crossed that threshold and are exploring a regime of phenomena
still unavailable for study or application in the West."
"A key goal of the program {HAARP} is the identification and
investigation of those ionospheric processes and phenomena that
can be exploited for DoD purposes, such as outlined below.
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Geophysical probing to identify
and characterize natural ionospheric processes ... so that
techniques can be developed to mitigate or control them.
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Generation of ionospheric lenses
to focus large amounts of HF energy ... thus providing a
means for triggering ionospheric processes that potentially
could be exploited for DoD purposes.
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Electron acceleration for the
generation of IR (infrared) and other optical emissions ...
that could be used to control radio wave propagation
properties.
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Generation of geomagnetic-field
aligned ionization to control the reflection/scattering
properties of radio waves.
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Oblique heating to produce
effects on radio wave propagation at great distances from
the heater, thus broadening the potential military
applications of ionospheric enhancement technology.
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Generation of ionization layers
below 90 km to provide radio wave reflectors ("mirrors")
which can be exploited for long range, over-the-horizon, HF/VHF/UHF
surveillance purposes ....
Why are the citizens of the United
States being asked to pay for such a project? Why do those
associated closely with the project reference its use as submarine
communications and other apparently innocuous purposes?
3 -
Monster in the Wilderness
by C. Zickuhr
The HAARP project being constructed near Gakona, Alaska will create
the largest-of-its-kind ionospheric heater using computer controlled
radio frequency transmitters. HAARP, which stands for High Frequency
Active Auroral Research Project, is a joint effort of the Air Force
and the Navy. HAARP program manager, John Heckscher, claims that it
is a research project with both military and civilian benefits yet
only military experiments can be found in the documentation for the
project.
The acronym implies something to do with
the aurora, but none of the project papers mention that aspect. What
sounds like an engineering feat deserving of public accolade, has
remained suspiciously low profile, almost unknown to most Alaskans
as well as the rest of the country.
Documents acquired from the Office of Naval Research via the Freedom
Of Information Act reveal a more ominous purpose for HAARP.
According to these documents, the U.S. military believes the former
Soviet Union has similar heaters with which they claim to have
achieved higher levels of ionospheric reaction than possible so far
in the "West".
Although smaller in size than the HAARP
project, there are many other ground based transmitting heaters in
operation around the world; Tromso, Norway and Arecibo, Puerto Rico
among them.
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Can these heaters already be
changing the weather, and have they somehow contributed to
the recent climate-based catastrophes in the U.S?
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Might migratory species
traveling through the "rays" have already experienced
irreversible damage?
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How many humans have contracted
cancers that might have remained dormant if not "excited" by
these transmissions?
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When Russia's Zhirinovsky speaks
of secret weapons, is he referring to their version of HAARP?
HAARP first came to my attention in the
spring of 1993, when a neighbor and airline pilot brought me
materials on the project. The FAA had briefed commercial pilots in
Alaska on changes needed to avoid interference from future HAARP
transmissions. As a ham radio operator, my neighbor assumed that I
had some knowledge of the "giant transmitter" and its effect on
other communications. After making inquiries to other hams, a few
recalled seeing announcements for public meetings in Glenallen and
Anderson, Alaska.
Several then attended these Draft
Environmental Impact meetings and gathered information.
FAA personnel, pilots, communications engineers and others raised
serious questions during the HAARP Draft Environmental Impact
Statement process. According to official statements, these questions
were all properly addressed in the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS). Closer examination reveals a different story.
Local FAA engineers, aware of the heavy
safety dependency of airplane communications, voiced strong
objections. The national FAA, however, overrode these objections and
gave HAARP the green light after "assurances" that lower level
concerns would be accommodated. The FEIS admits that all forms of
radio communication are subject to interference, yet completely
ignores the concerns expressed in many of the comments.
Individuals, organizations and agencies
that use radio for their day-to-day livelihood were left with a "let
us know and we'll try to mitigate it" promise. It is important to
remember the definition of mitigation is "to reduce", not "to
eliminate". What recourse does the Alaskan Bush communicator have
when their radio transmissions are rendered useless by HAARP? That
is their only form of communication.
The FEIS and other Department of Defense documents indicate that
interference problems would be too great to allow it to be located
near other military facilities in Alaska. What kind of monster is it
that they can't even locate it near existing military bases? Even
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
has reservations about HAARP transmissions.
They would only permit one of the test
sites (Mineral Wells, Texas) to operate and so far have declined to
extend all the requested frequency/power privileges necessary for
the Alaska site. The enormous lobbying power of the military may
overwhelm reason and force the NTIA to go along with the HAARP
request. After all, Gakona is a "virtually uninhabited" area of the
world.
Electromagnetic radiation has drawn increasing interest in the form
of health impact studies and research worldwide. The HAARP project
will generate massive amounts of intentional and some unintentional
radiation. The HAARP environmental impact statements deny possible
biological effects on humans, citing obsolete IEEE standards that
basically say if the radiation isn't causing you to feel heat, it
does not harm you. The preponderance of current studies indicate
there can by promotion of cancer growth, disorientation, and other
negative physical effects from low level, non-heating
electromagnetic radiation.
Why have our government agencies given
their affirmation to something so clearly controversial?
After searching for answers to HAARP questions for the past year and
a half, what has surfaced are very few answers and many more
questions. How dangerous is HAARP (some physicists fear severe
planetary consequences)?
Commenting on HAARP in the April, 1994
issue of Physics and Society, C. L. Herzenberg says,
"...this technology does present
issues that need to be publicly addressed by the technical
community".
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Can HAARP change the ionosphere and
weather patterns??
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Can HAARP disrupt worldwide
communications??
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Can HAARP damage or destroy
wildlife??
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Will HAARP radiation change the
migration habits of animals that come near it??
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Can HAARP cause cancer??
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Can the ionospheric effects of HAARP
be controlled??
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Why has the project been kept low
profile and secretive, by the sponsors and the contractor (an
ARCO subsidiary)??
UPDATE: JUNE 1994
ARCO sold their subsidiary to E-Systems,
the 41st largest U.S. defense contractor noted for their counter
surveillance work. Why have Alaska's public officials avoided
providing serious answers to the public's questions?? Anything that
can generate these questions deserves the MONSTER title and our
serious attention.
Additional pieces to the puzzle that have shown themselves only
serve to heighten speculation that we are not getting clear and
concise answers. There is a connection to the recently installed
Cray supercomputer at UAF and to the Geophysical Institute there.
There is an obvious power requirement that might be met by a
proposed coal power plant at Healy, connected by a proposed power
distribution intertie. Some of the experiments will require
"seeding" the ionosphere with chemicals that could be delivered by
rockets from the Poker Flats rocket range near Fairbanks.
Patents held by the ARCO subsidiary
building HAARP describe a similar ionospheric heater and claim
abilities to stop missiles, change weather, and disrupt global
communications. The inventor, Bernard Eastlund, claims he was
hired by ARCO to find a use for their Alaska North Slope gas
deposits; hence, his inventions described in the patents.
Microwave
News May/June, 1994 reported Eastlund said "The HAARP project
obviously looks a lot like the first step toward this."
The Gakona location is interesting as it was once destined to become
an over-the-horizon radar facility. The Cold War ended before it
could be completely built. This left the military with a remote
location with buildings and generating equipment partially
completed, and a choice - either restore it to its original natural
condition or find another use.
HAARP conveniently fits the site.
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Is the choice of this remote
site for these monster transmitters more a factor of fewer
people to complain?
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Does it reduce the number of
humans exposed to HAARP transmissions thereby reducing the
liability?
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What about the wildlife in the
area, what exposures will they be subjected to?
One need only remember experiments of
another era that generated nuclear fall-out killing and crippling
humans and animals in its path. It only took forty to fifty years to
get the agencies involved to admit liability.
In order to get an idea of just how large the HAARP transmitters
are, imagine all the ham radio operators in the United States (there
are over 500,000) transmitting at their maximum allowed power from
one giant antenna. That still would not be as powerful as HAARP's
multi-gigawatt (giga = billion) radiation capability. The average
Alaskan ham can communicate across the state with less power than
will be in the unintentional harmonics and side-lobes radiated by
HAARP.
What exactly will HAARP do?
According to HAARP project documents it
will "perturb" the ionosphere with extremely powerful beams of
energy. Using polarized, pulsating radio frequency transmissions to
perform experiments which include devising methods to destroy the
communications capabilities of others (presumably an adversary)
while preserving their own communications.
Experiments with mirroring and
reflecting abilities of the ionosphere (abilities we currently
depend on for all forms of communication) will be carried out to see
what military purposes may be served by the resulting changes. An
apt analogy that springs to mind is that of an inquisitive youngster
poking a sleeping bear with a stick, to see what might happen! What
will we do once the monster is unleashed?
The Alaska location was partially picked for its alignment with the
earth's magnetic force lines. Military experiments with the
magnetosphere also appear to be planned. And again the scientists
warn of possible dire consequences, including setting the earth into
some unexpected vibration or oscillation, similar to an axis wobble.
Many scientists such as Richard
Williams writing in Physics and Society in April, 1988
have denounced this kind of testing as irresponsible and downright
dangerous, fearing long term negative ionospheric effects. Also,
like any magnet, the force lines will react at their opposite pole,
near Australia and New Zealand. Australians are concerned enough to
consider sending a team to Alaska to document and investigate HAARP.
Shouldn't Alaskans be interested too?
A group of NO HAARP activists is seeking to formalize their
opposition by incorporating as a non-profit organization or
affiliating with an existing group. Their prime purposes will be to
promote awareness, file legal actions and other activities focused
specifically on HAARP, something no group is currently doing. In
fact, probably due to the remoteness of the Gakona location, it has
been difficult to get outsiders interested.
We are quite aware that the promoters of
HAARP fully realize that they have the upper organizational hand and
the money to outlast our grassroots opposition. Those of us in NO
HAARP are committed to doing what we can to stop the project before
it comes on-line with full power in 1997. Considering the project
has been underway since the mid-1980's, this will be a difficult
task. Luckily it was not completely funded as of a year ago. There
is hope that legislative alternatives to stop it may exist as well.
John Heckscher was quoted by
Microwave News in the May/June, 1994 issue saying that,
"money for completion of the
demonstration project is in place... but the larger facility
would require additional funding from Congress".
Unfortunately, this additional funding
is likely to be buried deep in the DOD budget. What can you do? Of
course you can try to "write your congress person".
The Alaska delegation to congress is
noted for their alignment with the military so don't expect too much
action from them. Send contributions for the NO HAARP effort to
Jim Roderick, P.O. Box 916, Homer, AK 99603.
You can lobby with the NTIA to turn down
the HAARP frequency/power request. You can make others aware of the
HAARP project and the questions it raises.
Contact Eric Nashlund at
907-8223602 or snail at HCO-1 Box 271 Copper Center, AK. 99573
Kirtland AFB is the source of information through FOIA that we have
received info on this project.
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