Final Report on Project TWINKLE

This document is the final report for Project TWINKLE, dated 27 November 1951, issued by the Geophysics Research Division. The project was initiated in early 1950 following a directive to investigate peculiar light phenomena, specifically 'green fireballs,' observed in the skies over the Southwestern United States, particularly New Mexico. The report details the history of the project, which began after concerns were raised by security agencies regarding these sightings, which had been reported since 1947. Initial efforts involved a conference at Los Alamos in October 1949, where scientists concluded that existing data was insufficient and that instrumental observations, such as photography and spectroscopy, were essential. Consequently, a program was established at Holloman Air Force Base involving Askania instrument triangulation, camera observations, and electromagnetic frequency measurements. The report notes that the results of the project were essentially negative. Throughout the contractual period, sightings were either attributed to man-made objects like airplanes and balloons, or natural phenomena such as birds, clouds, and meteorites. The report highlights that even the 'green fireballs' could not be proven to be anything other than natural phenomena. The project faced challenges, including the withdrawal of military personnel and the lack of significant data from the instrumentation. By the end of the contract in March 1951, the project was placed on a standby basis. The final recommendation of the report is that no further fiscal expenditure should be made on the project, as the findings were inconclusive and the 'stand-by' status at Holloman AFB was sufficient for continued vigilance. The report concludes that while the phenomena remain unexplained in some respects, there is no evidence to justify further systematic instrumentation programs.