My ideal team to investigate ghosts and haunting phenomena would be comprised of disparate individuals from various fields and exhibiting various degrees of "belief." The goal would be a multi-disciplined approach, with each team member focusing on a separate facet of data collection, analysis, and testing.An individual, perhaps serving as Project Coordinator, who would possess a keen knowledge of haunting lore, myths, and occult traditions. This individual will have a firm grasp of how investigations have operated in the past to determine what has been successful and what has not.
A Microclimatologist would be employed to map and catalog the environmental/atmospheric landscape of a given location. He or she will conduct micro-scale thermographic, barometric, and hygrometric analyses as well as chart air flow in order to better establish environmental means and causative agents for reported phenomena. This individual will work closely with a team geologist to collect and analyze ambient gasses that might affect human perception.
A Geologist will be onsite to evaluate soil profiles, sub-terranean water sources, faults, and other components of the geology upon which the site rests. He or she will determine if seismic activity, flowing water, or Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) are responsible for any vibrations that can account for purported occurences or optical phenomena. The geologist will also map the electromagnetic environment and produce baselines from those data.
A Computer Technology Specialist who is well-versed in programming and database construction will be in charge of establishing specific tools to catalogue and evaluate raw data. This individual will also handle the electronic equipment, which will operate with minimum human contact from a central nexus. This is done to mitigate errors in data collection and to eliminate non-structured sampling. This equipment will scan the environmental methodically instead of haphazardly as has been previously employed in such investigations. Equipment will include IR video, Thermal video, and high-end digital audio as well as more experimental devices such as proton magnetometers, ion counters, and those utilizing stochastic resonance. These devices will be used in an experimental fashion only in order to determine if and what results they might produce. As needed, other experimental equipment will be brought in. This individual must be able to adapt to new equipment easily.
An Architect/Structural Engineer/Builder will be brought in to evaluate the structure under investigation to understand how it "behaves" in relation to the environment, the presence of people and machinery as well as look at plumbing, A/C, electrical and, structural fatigue. This individual will analyze the electromagnetic properties of the locale in conjuction, or rather counterpoint, to the geologist. EMF meters will not be randomly waved about. An standard range will be established and then static meters, forming an array, will collect raw data from which the computer will derive significant deviations and correlate those to "spikes" in other recording devices.
A Psychologist would be onhand to interview witnesses and determine the validity of their statements. This individual will also monitor the investigating team for signs of confabulation or fantasy.
The Historian's job will be to research the investigated site to understand, in detail, its history. A report will be compiled on the site and presented prior to investigation to the Project Coordinator only. The Coordinator, the Historian, and the Psychologist will all sit in on interviews, when feasible.
The team Photographer/Videographer's job will be to assist the Computer Specialist in gathering visual data. This individual will ensure that strict protocols are followed when gathering still and moving digital images as well as the occasional use of photographic techniques. This individual will remotely control a host of cameras, reducing human interference in evidence gathering. As needed, he or she can enter the study zone and take additional images in an effort to promote interaction with the studied phenomena if necessary.
4 comments:
Talk about a dream team! I am still shaking my over a recent episode of one of those TV shows where they are talking about not knowing if there were any drafts, pipes, electric lines in the basement they were searching! What? What did you do while you were waiting for it to get dark? No pre-readings, no mapping of the site to locate electric lines, water pipes, windows, etc. Incredible!!!
I agree 100%. I don't understand all this let's wait 'til it gets dark, switch off the light, and use infrared stuff. Sightings have been reported as equally - if not more - in the day time. There are no hard statistics to back up the theory that this MUST be done at night. But even so, you get the impression that they're waiting around for a while sometimes. I realize production constraits might limit time onsite but perhaps a few of those "screamers" who seem to be there for little more than "reaction shots" could be replaced by individuals with skills that could better serve the investigation.
I like the dream team; I have a background in folklore, can I join? I'd have to move from Oregon, but oh well . . .
Just kidding. I agree with your post as well as yours, wind -- all that screaming and lugging around of equipment and for what? What were they doing the rest of the time? It makes for good tv, the dark, people bumping into walls and screaming. . .
I want to join too! Cullan - form the "Strange State Alliance". We need a t-shirt though! All God's children need snazzy t-shirts!
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