Solar and Geomagnetic Activity Theory

It is theorized that paranormal entities (ghosts, spirits etc) are at least in part based on or composed of energy. This theory is strongly supported as many encounters with the paranormal coincide with measurements of relatively high or unusual energy levels (electrical, magnetic, thermal etc) at the same time and location. It is theorized that entities somehow tap into available ambient sources of energy, drawing on them to help constitute and manifest themselves.

We typically think of energy in the form of electricity. Our modern world is full of high electric sources. But there are other sources of energy that are similarly potent and occur naturally. Two such sources are solar and geomagnetic.

Solar energy is most commonly thought of as simply light. While light is a component of solar energy, the sun also emits a constant stream of highly charged particles that shower the Earth everyday: X-Rays, Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays, Alpha radiation etc. It is these high energy particles that interact with the atmosphere and the Earth's natural magnetic field that cause the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Fortunately for us better than 99% of these particles are blocked by the Earth's magnetic field and filtered by the atmosphere (see the movie "The Core" for a fictional example of what would happen if the magnetic field stopped). It is theorized that ghosts and spirits might be able to use this constant shower of high energy particles as an energy source to manifest themselves.

Solar activity isn't constant. The sun has periods of higher intensity emissions at certain times than during others. "Sun spots" and "solar flares" are periods of higher, more intense energy emissions. Scientists have been determined the sun goes through a 20 year period of generally high solar activity, then 20 years of relatively lower/lesser activity, then the cycle starts again (as of writing this article in 2006 we are in the middle of a 20 year up cycle in solar activity).

For these reasons paranormal investigators tracks and note solar activity during investigations. This information is provided by NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) by satellites (at the time of writing this article the GOES 8 and GOES 10 satellites are used) in orbit. The different NASA solar activity classifications.