EMF and Meters in an Investigation
EMF and Meters in an Investigation
Some of the meters and devices we use in the paranormal field are used to detect static charge, magnetic charge, magnetic fields and EMF. To choose a meter you first have to know what you are looking for and what you are not looking for. Before we talk about naturally occurring magnetic fields, what we should be looking for, and manmade electromagnetic fields let’s start with the difference between a magnetic charge and an electric charge. Electrical charges are sources of electric fields while magnetic charges or sources of magnetic fields. A moving electrical charge (electrical current) or a moving magnetic charge will create its perspective field. Also magnetic fields exert forces on electrical charges that are perpendicular to both the field and the charge’s velocity and are proportional to the magnitude of both the field and the charge. This is the same for the action of electrical fields on magnetic charges. This and more is expressed in the Maxwell’s equations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations
An electric charge is a basic property of matter carried by some elementary particles (which we will get to later Here). Electric charges, which can be either positive or negative, occur in natural units and can be neither created nor destroyed. Alternating current (AC) is an electric current which periodically reverses direction, in contrast to direct current (DC) which flows only in one direction. For most EMF meters, like the Tri-Field meters, we are basically looking at the electromagnetic field that is created when electrical current is flowing in a wire, such as in a house or building. In other words man made AC current; this is fine for base readings or things like that but not for “finding a ghost”. There have been theories that high levels of EMF can cause hallucinations however there is no scientific proof of this.
There are meters out there that can detect dc magnetic fields (fields that do occur in nature) and these meters would be better suited for perhaps detecting a paranormal anomaly, but it is very difficult to judge what caused the magnetic field that disturbed the meter.
Magnetism in Living Matter
Biomagnetism is when magnetic fields are produced by living things, like the human body. The body's magnetic fields are very weak and are only detectable with very sensitive equipment that blocks out all external magnetic fields, including the Earth. All living matter exhibits electrical properties as well as generate various, although small, electromagnetic fields. Medical doctors use known electrical properties of the body to determine health and diagnose problems.
Electrocardiographs (EKGs) measure voltages between the chest and back to study heart functions. The human heart also has an electric field near the surface between 1 and 10 volts per meter.
Electroencephalographs (EEGs) measure potential differences of microvolts in the scalp and are a measurement of brain functions. Brain waves, as seen on an EEG, are different for every person. However brain waves are similar in twins, and for certain brain disorders (epilepsy, brain tumors, brain damage, encephalitis, and systemic diseases like toxemia and diseases of liver and kidneys). When resting but not asleep, the back part of the head will register alpha waves or rhythms at a frequency of 8 to 12 hertz. Beta waves, 18 to 25 hertz, relate to sensory functions and are smaller in magnitude than alpha waves. Someone in a coma may have patterns with 1 to 3 hertz rates near the damaged area of the brain. Theta waves are 4 to 7 hertz, normal in infants and young children but abnormal in adults.
So as you can see trying to measure the possible magnetic fields of a spirit, which we assume may retain like properties of the living, would take very specific and expensive equipment. We can, however, do very simple experiments like trying to detect static charges (DC) that would be closer to what a spirit might emit, while moving, providing they emit anything at all. I prefer a meter that reads DC (using Hall Effect) and a positive static detector, as most man made objects emit a negative charge while “living or natural objects” emit a positive charge when looking at Triboelectric effect.