Skinwalker Ranch Scientific Platforms
Take a look at some of the equipment the Skinwalker Ranch team leverages which forms the backbone of our operations.
S.A.T.a.N.
Short for “Sentinel Assignment Telemetry And Notification,” S.A.T.a.N. functions as the hub of all technology on Skinwalker Ranch.
Equipped with the latest in sensory technology, buried in a concrete bunker under Skinwalker Ranch, S.A.T.a.N. has capabilities including, but not limited to, the following:
- Infrasonic recording (sounds below human hearing).
- Seismic Geophones: A device that converts ground movement (velocity) into voltage, which are recorded constantly. The deviation of this measured voltage from the baseline value is called the seismic response and is analyzed for structure of the earth. … A notable example is in the application of remote ground sensors (RGS).
- Radio-Frequency Spectrum Analyzers: These are test instruments used to look at signals in the frequency domain, i.e. a plot of signal strength against frequency.
- Aircraft Transponder Receiver: An electronic device that receives transponder information from all aircraft. Aircraft have transponders to assist in identifying them on air traffic control radar.
- Magnetic Sensors for Transient Frequencies: An active magnetic field sensor consisting of a small electrical loop, two ferrite core transformers, and a balanced amplifier with a low input impedance. This device is able to measure fields in a broad range of frequencies and transients. The sensor provides a flat transfer function from approximately 600 Hz to 200 MHz (3 dB roll-off frequencies) and high-fidelity reproduction of pulses with a risetime of 2 ns.
- Software Definable Radios: These allow us to pinpoint parts of the radio frequency spectrum for analysis.
- Electromagnetic Spike Detectors: Allows for sensing lightning and other major energy discharges, and gathers location and distance information.
Surveillance at Skinwalker Ranch
Learn more about the technology of surveillance cameras on Skinwalker Ranch.
State-of-the-art cameras are where things start at Skinwalker Ranch. Our team of investigators and scientists are constantly updating our video and photography technology.
We employ dozens of cameras capable of reaching every corner of the property:
- PTZ Cameras: A Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera is capable of remote directional and zoom control. They are commonly referred to as robos, an abbreviation of robotic cameras.
- Infrared/Thermographic Cameras: An infrared camera is a non-contact temperature measurement device. Infrared cameras detect the infrared energy emitted, transmitted or reflected by all materials – at temperature above absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin) – and converts the energy factor into a temperature reading or thermogram.
- Night Vision (Photomultiplier Based): A Night-Vision Device (NVD), also known as night optical/observation, is an optoelectronic device that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. Our devices use components known as photomultiplier tubes to enable visibility in very low-light scenarios. The photomultiplier tubes use a lens to collect available light, including light from the infrared portion of the spectrum.
