| Description: |
65,536 objects of unknown (presumably extraterrestrial) origin simultaneously hit atmosphere on 13/02/2082, 1034:43. Objects converged in a precise latitudinal/longitudinal grid; all burned up within 45 - 72 seconds of contact with upper atmosphere. Objects emitted strong omnidirectional radio signals with primary emission peaks at 35m and 394m. Mean mass per object is thought to be on the order of 2-5 kg, based upon opportunistic visual/radar profiles and observed rates of atmospheric braking prior to burn-up. The objects contained high concentrations of iron, judging by subsequent mesospheric elevations of that element. All objects appear to have disintegrated in the atmosphere. We have found no fragments or samples of any kind.
The so-called "Fireflies" were not detected upon approach: there was no indication of their presence prior to the simultaneous destruction of three communications satellites in geostationary orbit several seconds prior to atmospheric impact. To this date there have been no further incursions. Subsequent increased surveillance of both local and deep space has turned up nothing of consequence.
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| Analysis: |
The destruction of the communications satellites is believed to have been the result of inadvertent collisions and not of directed attack. It has been suggested that our inability to detect the Fireflies during their approach may have been the result of advanced stealth technology; while we cannot rule this out, it is also true that even 65,000 objects, converging equidistantly from all directions, would be spread very thinly across the heavens until the final seconds of their approach. There is no need to invoke cloaking devices at this time.
Radio emissions from individual fireflies are reminiscent of those arising from gas giants with strong magnetic fields, and at first pass contained no detectible intelligence. However, Fourier PCA reveals a composite signal arising from the intersections of all of these emissions one with another. Although research is ongoing, we are unlikely to decrypt this signal, since only a few thousand of more than 65,000 component signals happened to get recorded during Firefall. However, such a signal in theory could easily contain a representation of Earth along visible wavelengths, down to a resolution of slightly over 1.3 square meters
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| Conclusions: |
We have been surveyed by an unknown agency. We can at this point infer nothing about its nature or motives beyond an obvious curiosity. Deaths and property damage sustained during Firefall appear to have been collateral in nature, and intensive ongoing atmospheric analysis have turned up no potential toxins or pathogens. There is nothing in these events to support any hypothesis of intent, whether friendly or hostile.
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