Accession Number:

ADA284789

Title:

Experiment in Water Dowsing

Descriptive Note:

Master's thesis

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Personal Author(s):

• Gaisford, David I.

Report Date:

1994-09-01

Pagination or Media Count:

90.0

Abstract:

Dowsing is a folklore process used to locate an unknown, such as the best location for a water well, by the use of a hand-held device. The process is commonly know as water witching, divining, dowsing or radiesthesia. The practice continues despite the lack of a proven scientific basis. This research develops an experiment to test the claims of a dowser. Specific procedures are established and statistical theory is applied to determine if one man can identify which of five water lines has flowing water in it better than a chance operator could achieve. The statistical analysis uses Abraham Walds sequential analysis procedures for establishing when to accept a hypothesis in a binomial situation. The dowsers performance proved to be better than chance. Further research is recommended.

Descriptors:

• *WATER WELLS
• TEST AND EVALUATION
• DETECTION
• VALIDATION
• THESES
• ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
• BINOMIALS
• SEQUENTIAL ANALYSIS
• GROUND WATER
• STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• HAND HELD

Subject Categories:

• Hydrology, Limnology and Potamology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE