Persinger has done an awful lot of research looking into the connection between earthlights, EM and UFOs including a huge series of studies comparing different goings on with potential external factors and I'm going to try and track them down and list them here (might take some noodling):
Good sources:
http://www.innerworlds.50megs.com/paranormal_pubs.htm
http://mv.lycaeum.org/M2/persinger.html
http://laurentian.ca/neurosci/_publications/2001.htm
Good stuff with list of criticisms:
http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/persinger.html
Persinger, M.A. Earthquake activity and antecedent UFO report numbers.
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1980, 50, 791-797.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: III. Prediction of UFO
reports by geomagnetic and seismic activity. Perceptual and Motor Skills,
1981, 53, 115-122.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: IV. UFO reports and
fortean phenomena: temporal correlations in the central U.S.A. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1981, 53, 299-302.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior. VII. Prediction of
recent European UFO report years by nineteenth century luminosity and solar-seismic variables. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1983, 56, 91-95.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior. VIII: Specific
prediction of UFO reports within the New Madrid states by solar-geomagnetic and seismic measures. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1983, 56, 243-249.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior. IX: Expected clinical
consequences of close proximity to UFO-related luminosities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1983, 56, 259-265.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and human behavior: XV. Tectonic
strain luminosities (UFO reports) as predictable but hidden events within pre-1947 Central U.S.A. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1983, 57, 1227-1234.
Persinger, M.A. & Derr, J.S. Geophysical variables and behavior: XIX. Strong temporal relationships between inclusive seismic measures and UFO reports within Washington State. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1984, 59, 551-566.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and human behavior: XVIII. Expected perceptual characteristics and local distributions of close UFO reports. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1984, 58, 951-959.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXI. Geomagnetic
variation as possible enhancement stimuli for UFO reports preceding earthtremors. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1985, 60, 37-78.
The contribution of geomagnetic variation to the occurrence of UFORs (reports of UFOs) within the New Madrid States during the 6-mo. increments before increases in the numbers of IV-V or less intensity earthquakes within the central USA was determined. Although statistically significant zero-order correlations existed between measures of earthquakes, UFORs and geomagnetic variability, the association between the latter two deteriorated markedly when their shared variance with earthquakes was held constant. These outcomes are compatible with the hypothesis that geomagnetic variability (or phenomena associated with it) may enhance UFORs but only if tectonic stress and strain are increasing within the region.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXII. The tectonogenic strain continuum of unusual events. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1985, 60, 59-65.
Persinger, M.A., & Derr, J.S. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXIII.
Relations between UFO reports within the Uinta Basin and local seismicity.
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1985, 60, 143-152.
PERSINGER MA Geophysical variables and behavior: XXVI. A response to Rutkowski's critique of the tectonic strain hypothesis for UFO phenomena.
Percept Mot Skills. 1985 Apr. 60(2). P 575-82.
The tectonic strain hypothesis for many reports of UFOs (UFORs), primarily odd luminosities and metallic-looking phenomena, has been criticized on the basis of inadequate data. This reply begins with the distinction between the empirical basis for the association between UFORs and seismic activity, the hypothesis, and laboratory experiments. It is emphasized that criticisms of data should be based upon empirical criteria rather than value judgments about scientific credibility. Multivariate and bivariate analyses have indicated systematic relationships between UFORs and earthquake measures within several different areas and for different historical periods. However, the physical mechanisms for the generation of individual UFO events and their relationship to UFORs require closer examination.
Persinger, M.A., & Derr, J.S. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXXII.
Evaluations of UFO reports in an infrequent area of seismicity: the Carman, Manitoba Episode. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1985, 61, 807-813.
DE SANO CF; PERSINGER MA Geophysical variables and behavior: XXXIX. Alterations in imaginings and suggestibility during brief magnetic field exposures. Percept Mot Skills. 1987 Jun. 64(3 Pt 1). P 968-70.
12 male and 12 female volunteers were evaluated for their suggestibility before and after an approximately 15-min. exposure to either sham, 1-Hz or 4-Hz magnetic fields that were applied across their mid-superior temporal lobes. During the field-application subjects were instructed to view a green light that was pulsating at the same frequency as the field and to imagine encountering an alien situation. Results were commensurate with the hypothesis that weak brain-frequency fields may influence certain aspects of imaginings and alter suggestibility.
Persinger, M.A. (1985). Geophysical variables and behavior: XXX. Intense
paranormal experiences occur during days of quite, global, geomagnetic
activity. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 61, 320-322.
Schaut, G.B. & Persinger, M.A. (1985). Geophysical variables and behavior: XXXI. Global geomagnetic activity during spontaneous paranormal experiences: A replication. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 61(2), 412-414.
Gearhart, L., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and human behavior. Onsets of historical and contemporary poltergeist episodes occurred with sudden increases in geomagnetic activity. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1986, 62, 463-466.
Mattsson, D., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: positive correlations between numbers of UFO reports and earthquake activity in Sweden. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1986, 63, 921-922.
Makarec, K. & Persinger, M.A. (1987). Geophysical variables and behavior: XLII. Negative correlations between accuracy of card-guessing and geomagnetic activity: A case study. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 65(1),
105-106.
Lewicki, D.R., Schaut, G.H. & Persinger, M.A. (1987). Geophysical variables and behavior: XIV. Days of subjective precognitive experiences and the days before the actual events display correlated geomagnetic activity. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 65(1), 173-174.
Lewicki, D.R., Schaut, G.H., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and
behavior: XLIV. Days of subjective precognitive experiences and the days
before the actual events display correlated geomagnetic activity. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1987, 65, 173-174.
Arango, M.A., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LII.
Decreased geomagnetic activity and spontaneous telepathic experiences from the Sidgwick collection. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1988, 67, 907-910.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LIII. Epidemiological
considerations for incidence of cancer and depression in areas of frequent
UFO reports. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1988, 67, 799-803.
Derr, J.S., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LIV.
Zeitoun (Egypt) apparitions of the Virgin Mary as tectonic strain-induced
luminosities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1989, 68, 123-128.
Temporal analyses were completed between the occurrence of intense displays of exotic luminous phenomena over a church in Zeitoun (Egypt) during the years 1968 through 1969 and regional seismicity. These phenomena, viewed by thousands of onlookers, began one year before an unprecedented increase (factor of 10) in seismic activity about 400 km to the southeast. Monthly analyses also demonstrated a moderate (0.56) correlation between increases in seismicity and the occurrence of luminous phenomena during the same or previous month. These results were interpreted as further support for the hypothesis that most anomalous (terrain-related) luminous phenomena are generated by factors associated with tectonic strain
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LV. Predicting the
details of visitor experiences and the personality of experients: The temporal lobe factor. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1989, 68, 55-65.
Persinger, M.A., & Derr, J.S. Geographical variables and behavior: LXI. UFO reports in Carman Manitoba and the 1975 Minnesota quake: evidence of triggering by increased volume of the Red River. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 71, 531-536.
Persinger, M.A., & Derr, J.S. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXII.
Temporal coupling of UFO reports and seismic energy release within the Rio Grande rift system: discriminative validity of the tectonic strain theory. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 71, 567-572.
Derr, J.S., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXIII.
Quasi-experimental evidence of the tectonic strain theory of luminous
phenomena: the Derby, Colorado earthquakes. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1990, 71, 707-714.
Berger, R.E., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXVII. Quieter annual geomagnetic activity and larger effect size for experimental PSI (ESP) studies over six decades. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1991, 73, 1219-1223.
Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXI. Differential
contribution of geomagnetic activity to paranormal experiences concerning death and crisis: An alternative to the ESP hypothesis. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1993, 76, 555-562.
Persinger, M.A., & Derr, J.S. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXIV.
Man-made fluid injections into the crust and reports of luminous phenomena (UFO reports)--Is the strain field an aseismically propagating hydrological pulse? Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1993, 77, 1059-1065.
Derr, J.S., & Persinger, M.A. Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXVI.
Seasonal hydrological load and regional luminous phenomena (UFO reports) within river systems, The Mississippi River test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1993, 77, 1163-1170.
Persinger, M.A., Hart, B., & Thomas, A.W. Geophysical variables and
behavior: LXXX. Periodicities and energetic characteristics of a strobe-light luminosity during a geomagnetic storm. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1996, 82, 683-688.
Derr, J. S. and Persinger, M. A. Geophysical variables and behavior: Annual January rainfall may modulate the incidence of luminous phenomena within the San Francisco Basin. (in revision).
Persinger MA. Psychol Rep. 2001 Feb;88(1):89-90. Geophysical variables and behavior: XC. What people consider strange: change in proportions of reports of Fortean phenomena over time.
The proportions of 3,667 reports classified as unusual or odd events within eight major categories for four contiguous blocks of time between 1770 and 1970 were compared for disconcordance. The major source of the disconcordance (phi = .52) of reports between the major categories and time was due to the decrease in the numbers of reports of falls of ice, rocks, and animals but increased numbers of reports of odd luminosities, labelled as unidentified flying objects, after the mid 1930s. One hypothesis to explain this result is that cultural changes in attributions for causes of natural phenomena may affect their designation as strange rather than mundane.
Persinger MA. Percept Mot Skills. 2002 Jun;94(3 Pt 2):1271-82. Geophysical variables and behavior: XCVIII. Ambient geomagnetic activity and experiences of "memories": interactions with sex and implications for receptive psi experiences.
During 96 nonsequential days over a 3-yr. period, a total of 53 men and 86 women were exposed only once for 30 min. to transcerebral, weak complex magnetic fields while they sat alone within a quiet chamber. They were asked to record the frequency of specific experiences after the exposure was completed. There was a significant interaction between sex and global geomagnetic activity for the incidence of experiences attributed to memories. Women reported more experiences attributed to "childhood memories" when geomagnetic activity was less than 20 nT, while men reported more of these experiences when the activity was more than 20 nT. Re-analyses of a database of "paranormal experiences" reported by 395 separate individuals over a 100-yr. period indicated that more men than women reported "precognitive experiences" on days the geomagnetic activity was above 20 nT while women reported such experiences if the geomagnetic activity was below 20 nT. These results suggest that these experiences, be they veridical or illusory, may be influenced by global geomagnetic activity that affect the neuroelectrical or neurochemical processes associated with memory consolidation or the attribution of the serial order of experiences during retrieval.
Derr JS, Persinger MA.
Geophysical variables and behavior: XCV. Annual January rainfall may modulate the incidence of luminous phenomena within the San Francisco Basin.
Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Jun;92(3 Pt 2):1180-90.
PMID: 11565926
Persinger MA, Koren SA, O'Connor RP.
Geophysical variables and behavior: CIV. Power-frequency magnetic field transients (5 microtesla) and reports of haunt experiences within an electronically dense house.
Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Jun;92(3 Pt 1):673-4.
PMID: 11453191
Persinger MA, O'Connor RP.
Geophysical variables and behavior: CIII. Days with sudden infant deaths and cardiac arrhythmias in adults share a factor with PC1 geomagnetic pulsations: implications for pursuing mechanism.
Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Jun;92(3 Pt 1):653-4.
PMID: 11453188
Persinger MA.
Geophysical variables and behavior: XC. What people consider strange: change in proportions of reports of Fortean phenomena over time.
Psychol Rep. 2001 Feb;88(1):89-90.
PMID: 11293059
Persinger MA, St-Pierre LS, Koren SA.
Geophysical variables and behavior: XCI. Ambulatory behavior in rats following prenatal exposures to complex magnetic fields designed to interact with genetic expression.
Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Feb;92(1):183-92.
PMID: 11322585
Cook CM, Persinger MA.
Geophysical variables and behavior: XCII. Experimental elicitation of the experience of a sentient being by right hemispheric, weak magnetic fields: interaction with temporal lobe sensitivity.
Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Apr;92(2):447-8.
PMID: 11361305
