Tillägg till ORNL:s analys av aluminiumprov från Ohio

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All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office 
Supplement to Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Analysis of an Aluminum Specimen
January 2026 
Overview 
In 2024, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) contracted Oak Ridge National 
Labora tory (ORNL) to evaluate a metallic specimen. This specimen, reportedly recovered from a 
private property near Flint Ridge State Park, Ohio, in the mid-1990s, allegedly possessed 
anomalous compositional and structural characteristics. The property owner reported observing a 
large unidentified airborne object before discovering the material. 
ORNL assessed that the specimen, as received, is consistent with “an ordinary aluminum alloy 
made for common applications.” As a standard handling precaution, ORNL tested the specimen 
for radioactive emissions and found none. ORNL produced a summary of findings documenting 
the laboratory’s methodology
, available on AARO’s website. AARO concurs with ORNL’s 
findings and provides this supplementary material to add historical context to account for the 
specimen’s probable origins. 
Historical Context and Probable Origins 
ORNL’s testing revealed large grain sizes, interconnected pores up to 1 millimeter in diameter, 
and needle-like silicon precipitates. Thes e feature s align with casting defects and failure patterns 
commonly documented in industrial settings,
1
 all of which compromise the specimen’s 
mechanical strength.
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 The specimen also lacks stre ngthening additives, such as strontium or 
sodium, which would be expected features in a high-performance allo y.
3, 4
 The specimen’s 
overa ll form factor does not exhibit any geometry suggesting a functional design or particular 
intended application. Taken together, these features are inconsistent with those of a component 
designed for an advanced application. 
AARO cannot definitively attribut
e the specimen to a specific sourc e or manufacturing process. 
However, its composition is comparable to well-documented, conventionally manufactured 
aluminum-silicon alloys, most closely matching Aluminum Association reference mater ials for 
all oys 369.1 and A413.1.
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 Cast aluminum alloys in the 300- and 400-series are highly suitable for 
applications that re quire hardness, impact resistance, and ea se of processing into complex form 
factors, such as e ngine components.
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300-series aluminum all oys began widespread industrial 
production in the 1970s and now comprise over 90% of all shape d alum inum castings.
7
 These 
finding are consistent with several plausible historical origins, including: a commercial casting; 
an industrial by-product; a recycled alloy from a non-industrial casting; or a slow-cooling melt 
resulting from a catastrophic failure of an original component, e.g., an automotive fire . Given its 
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consistency with contemporary alloys and incompatibility with high-performance applications, 
AARO assesses that the specimen is most likely an ordinary, conventionally manufactured 
aluminum alloy. 
1
 Jolly, M., & Katgerman, L. (2022). Modeling defects in aluminum cast products. Progress in Materials Science. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2021.100824 
2
 Davis, J.R. (2001). Alloying: Understanding the Basics (1st ed., p. 378). ASM Intl. Available online: Aluminum 
and Aluminum Alloys 
3
 Ibid. (pp. 392-395) 
4
 Ganesh, M.R.S., Reghunath, N., J.Levin, M. et al. Strontium in Al–Si–Mg Alloy: A Review. Met. Mater. Int. 28, 1–
40 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-021-01054