X-Message-Number: 18064
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2001 10:08:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Kirlian stuff

I suppose the Kirlian Photography post deserves some sort of coherent
answer. Here's a good source from a guy who has taken the trouble to make
his own Kirlian photographs, and has debunked any "aura" explanation very
thoroughly. The entire effect can be explained using conventional science.

-----------------

http://www.geocities.com/lemagicien_2000/kfpage/kf.html

First of all, let's make one thing clear: although I've called this page
Kirlian Photography Page the technical name is Electrophotography. In fact
there's no Kirlian Photography at all, what we may see in an
electrophotography is the Kirlian Effect : the modification of the
electric discharge around the object due to biological alterations of the
electrical parameters of the specimen.

Also the luminous halo around the object has nothing to do with the AURA,
it's just a particular type of electrical discharge... so: no AURA
please!!!

DISCHARGE ORIGIN

What is this bright luminous halo produced around the objects? Well, the
discharge we were talking about it's called corona discharge and happens
to appear when there's a high surface charge density in specific points
over the object. From this points the accumulated charges (either excess
or lack of them) interact with the surrounding atmosphere.

...

Bluish halos? Well, the main component of the air we breath is Nitrogen,
it tends to emit bluish light...

And what if we replace nitrogen for neon? Yes... you know the answer,
reddish halos then... (sorry esoteric folks... the color of the emitted
light is related to the gaseous atmosphere. Also, the colors registered on
the film, depend on even additional parameters...)

Now comes the main question: If emitted light (luminous halo) appears due
to highly charged areas, how do we increase this surface charge density?

The answer is quite simple:

Increase the electric field (means: use High Voltage).
Introduce a dielectric (means: increase charge)
Keep pumping charges after the introduction of the dielectric (means: use
a generator).

...

[more text omitted]

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