Doc 0000021997

. ' ..• . .. _, ,PROPOSAL for a STUDY. OF THE SENSITIVITY AND RESPOUSE OF WEAKLY ELECTRIC FISH TO STATIC AND PULSW ·!tA.GNETIC FIE.L DS submitted by the PROPOSAL STUDY OF THE SENSITlVITY Arm RESPONSE OF IIE1\1\LY ELECTRIC FISH . TO STATIC AHD PULSED 1·1AG.. HETIC FIELDS --itp ... . [ • Bac_k.g~. ···-~ the study of bioelectrogenesis, particularly in the various spe cies bf electric fish, has been of increijsing scientific concern in 'recent yeurs. This interest stems primarily from the potential use .fulness·of in. this area in contributing to our understand- re~earch a ing of number of fundamental and significant problems. By defining . the electric fish's unique sensitivity lo electric and magnetic fields. .. , and hO\'t it codes and utilizes such sensory information in its detec- .. ·tion and navigation behavior, current evidence is providing a more (;: r complete concept of such basic questions as migration and territorial ity, and is leading tO\·tard the development of various bionic devices in the fonn of undentater sensors and pO\·ter sources. In addition, knowledge of the effects of magnetic and electric fields on physio logical and behavioral processes has assumed great importance in view of man's exposure to drastic changes in such stimuli during space _travel. living things produce a changing field at and near the e~ectric surface of their bodies; all fish, being sheathed in a conductive substance and living in a conductive medium. produce an electric field that may be detected at relatively great distances. However, there are certain fish which produce electric fields exceeding the norm by hundreds or thousands of degrees of magnitude. The electric eels of the Amazon can produce bursts in excess of 600 volts. Other electric. fish, i.e., weakly electric fish, produce continuous fields measured only in but by means of interpreting distortions in these milli~olts, fields are able to sense and navigate through their environment to a degree comparable to that of other species in which vision is used for these purposes. The weakly electric fish, .having very poorly de veloped visual abilities, must depend on information acquired through their electric fields in order to survive. The magnetic field is a form of energy to which all plants and animals are exposed. Its influence on living systems, however, is subtle and not well understood. One approach to studying the effects of magnetic fields upon behavior is through the use The image is a digital representation of a document cover, featuring a stylized title "THE BLACK VAULT" in white lettering against a dark background with blue accents. To the left, a realistic depiction of a bank vault door with intricate mechanical details and a glowing blue light is visible. The majority of the page consists of text, presenting information about the document's origin from "The Black Vault" online database of declassified government documents, specifically highlighting its inclusion in the MKULTRA/Mind Control Collection and providing a URL for access. There are no photographs of people, locations, equipment, or subjects, nor are there any handwritten annotations, signatures, official stamps, forms, tables, diagrams, or evidence of experimental procedures. The text is entirely legible, with no redactions or obscured content. This page is a title page from a proposal. At the top right, a handwritten annotation reads "1969 - 20". The document is titled "PROPOSAL for a STUDY OF THE SENSITIVITY AND RESPONSE OF WEAKLY ELECTRIC FISH TO STATIC AND PULSED MAGNETIC FIELDS". Below the title, it states "submitted by the". There are no photographs, stamps, diagrams, or filled-in forms visible on this page. There are no visible redactions or obscured content. their electric fields in order to survive. The magnetic field is a form of energy to which all plants and animals are exposed. Its influence on living systems, however, is subtle and not well understood. One approach to studying the effects of magnetic fields upon behavior is through the use of organism ~n which produces an electric field and uses it as a detection and naviga tion The electric fish is just such an organism, and a one- mechani~. year study, 1 .. _ , J Of s·ternarchU$ a l bifrons" and-so 'l eot6rfw'nchus 1 ... • has demonstrated the feasibility of such \'mrk. In-these species, im are discharged from the tail and received by the head, which p~lses becomes positive in regard to the tail. This potential difference creates an electric field about the fish's body, permitting it to de tect objects through distortions in the field. Several studies have shown that these fish can perceive a static (constant strength) magnetic field, but only when either the organism or the field is in motion, therby generating a current in the fish. It was thought that the fish was responding to the current generated in itself by the magnet. However, in these experiments the magnetic field was presented a'· a static field, and the sensitivity of the fish to a pulsed field presented at various frequencies, praticularly the frequency at which the fish discharges its own electric field (500-1500 cps), was not investigated. Other investigators have shown drastic increase in sensitivity to applied A.C. approximating the frequency of the fish's discharge. In addition, the strength of the field was not systematically varied in terms of the gauss level in the fish's pro ximity. Therefore. there are considerable gaps in our knowledge of the degree of sensitivity of the fish to magnetic fields at various frequencies and strengths. f. Co~eted and Proposed Research. In order to more clearly define the weakly electric fish's sensitivity and responses to different types of magnetic fields, a study was undertaken on June 1, 1969, in which several individuals of S. !lEifjons and leptorhynchus were life-support ~· obtained~ techniques developed, and test and recording equipment purchased and constructed. The fish were tested in a Y maze, T maze, and restraining chamber, and oscilloscope recordings.were made of their discharge patterns over time, through variations temperature, i~ and in response to various drugs including levodop! in a base-line ~· obtained~ techniques developed, and test and recording equipment purchased and constructed. The fish were tested in a Y maze, T maze, and restraining chamber, and oscilloscope recordings.were made of their discharge patterns over time, through variations temperature, i~ and in response to various drugs including levodop! in a base-line study. Thier sensitivity to static and pulsed magnetic fields exceed ing variations in the earth's magnetic fields was observed over the following ranges of values: between 1 and 10 gauss with a static field; from 0.29 to 82 gauss at 60 cps; and from 10 to 20 .Ganss at frequencies of 685-1220 cps. depending on the fish's own frequency. Apparent negative results were obtained with the static field; but the subjects were clearly responsive to the pulsed field at all gauss and frequency levels. In addition, a method was devised to administer the drug levodopa to the fish in order to determine the effects of this agent on their behavior. Two specimens were tested, and the influence of the drug on their electrical and overt behavior noted. However, the data are not complete enough to draw any firm conclusions. Since this study is currently coming to a close, and the positive results Nhich are emerging indicate that further study should provide very meaningful results, it is hoped that the work·can .. be continued. It is proposed that the following 1 ines of investigation be followed: A. To determine the final absolute and terminal thresholds of t1e fish's perception of a static magnetic field. B. To determine the final absolute and terminal thresholds of the fish's perception of a pulsed magnetic field by varying its freqaency and strength over a wide range of values. C. To determine the fish 1s sensitivity to electric current, as a of comparison with his perception of magnetic fields. b~sis In addition, to calculate the current generated in the fish by fields, duplicate these values with an audio signal m~~netic generator, and compare the results with his performance under the other conditions. . . . ·. . .. -· ·. .. II I. Ca_pillliti es ·., -··· .. -··- . ... -~---· staff consisting of 42 full-time and 21 part-time employees and four students \·Jor·king for the Ph.D. degree in informa .. ... tion science. Of this number of employees, t\-:o have H.O. 's, three have Ph.D.'s and nine have the I-I.A. or 1·1.5. degree or The provided image is a scanned document page containing text. There are no photographs, handwritten annotations, signatures, official stamps, forms with filled-in fields, diagrams, schematics, organizational charts, tables, structured data, or visual evidence of experimental procedures, equipment, or facilities. There are also no redactions or obscured content. The page primarily consists of a proposal title and subsequent body text. The document is a scanned page of text, containing no images, stamps, forms, diagrams, tables, or redactions. The content is entirely textual, presenting a research report on fish sensitivity to magnetic fields. The text is laid out in paragraphs with a numbered section heading. There are no handwritten annotations. -··· .. -··- . ... -~---· staff consisting of 42 full-time and 21 part-time employees and four students \·Jor·king for the Ph.D. degree in informa .. ... tion science. Of this number of employees, t\-:o have H.O. 's, three have Ph.D.'s and nine have the I-I.A. or 1·1.5. degree or are othentise to work at the professional level: The oroposed project qualifi~d would be under the irection of I is· a doctoral candidate in psychology and . lis a graduate: b_iologist working ':or the H.S. degree in ecology. 1· · · Laboratory facilities ..~ r.~.-~vailable IV. Plan of Procedure. The work will be accomplished within six months from the effective date of the contract. Five copies of a final report will be prepared and submitted to the contracting agency. · ·-, V. Budget - .§, Month.s. A. Personnel. $ •. Secretary (3,;) ·. ... · . a1 Personne 1 ·· ·,~·~·Tot B: Fringe benefits* (16.5% S&W) .f Indirect costs (40.00 S&W provisional) C. Consultant fees D. Travel - local E. Reproduction &d uplication F. Supplies and expendible equipment G. Equipment Total budget .. * The total sala.ry and 'ftage amount shown herein provides for direct laoor effort in the percentages for hours expressed herein for the budget period. The fringe benefit rate is a package rate which pro vides for several benefits including vacation and sick leave earned I This document page appears to be a typewritten report, with no photographs of people, locations, equipment, or subjects. There are no handwritten annotations, signatures, or marginalia. Official stamps are absent from the visible portion of the page. It contains structured data in the form of a budget breakdown with itemized costs and percentages. There are no diagrams, schematics, or organizational charts, and no visual evidence of experimental procedures, equipment, or facilities. The text itself discusses personnel and budget for a project, suggesting administrative or planning content within a larger document.