Chad Calek, “Tech Specialist” was brought in for this episode, and couldn’t explain how a thermal image of one handprint could outlast another. You might think it was caused by a spirit. So I called FLIR Systems and got answers.

The FLIR image of the handprint had a relatively easy (but lengthy), rational explanation- but none was given during the episode. So viewers might wrongly attribute the handprint to a supernatural force just because Chad and Ryan couldn’t explain how one print could outlast another.

If Chad Calek was a “Tech Specialist,” and was certified (I haven’t been able to verify if he was certified) to use the FLIR Systems camera in “The Glove,” he should have been able to give an answer as to how one infrared thermal print could persist longer than another.

I sent Mr. Calek an e-mail on 29 September 2008, inquiring about his qualifications and experience as a “Tech Specialist” as it related to his appearance in “The Glove” episode. To date, he hasn’t replied.

A large hand print mysteriously appears in a thermal image captured by an infrared thermal imaging camera. “Tech Specialist” Chad Calek can’t describe how the older image could persist longer than the image of his hand when he walks up and briefly touches the wall. This seems to imply that the handprint on the wall by Michelle was caused by a ghost. But don’t be fooled.

First published: 06 Oct 2008

Last updated: 14 Sep 2009
Written by: Ernie Marsh

Screenshot 1, Paranormal State “The Glove”
Infrared thermal image of a handprint supposedly caused by the spirit of a miner.

Bob Madding

Infrared Training Center Director, FLIR Systems.

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FLIR Systems, “The World Leader in Thermal Imaging.” www.flir.com/US/

The American Ghost Hunter, with Chad Calek (one of AGH Founders). www.aghnation.com/

Contrary to what Mr. Calek, would lead you to believe, there is a simple (but lengthy) explanation as to how an infrared image of a handprint made earlier, could persist longer than an infrared image of a handprint made later.

We are shown infrared scenes made with a FLIR Systems infrared camera, which include a handprint located just above, and to the right of “Psychic” Michelle Belanger’s right shoulder. Michelle said she “did not touch the wall up there” and Chad couldn’t explain how that image could linger longer than an image of his briefly-placed hand. The implication is that the handprint was deposited by a ghostly presence. Indications were that the infrared handprint image appeared to be bigger than a human hand.

So we need to understand two issues:

• How could the thermal handprint image appear to be larger than a “normal” human hand?
• How could a thermal image of a handprint made earlier, persist longer than a more recent print?

BIG HANDPRINT EXPLANATIONS

1. 1.The image could have been caused by someone wearing a glove. See the screenshot with Ryan wearing a “coal miner’s glove” as he touched the wall, yielding a large-sized, thermal-image handprint.
   

2. 2.Someone could have touched the wall for a long time with their bare hand. This could have caused the heat to “bleed,” covering an area larger than the hand or glove.
   

It is plausible that someone touched the wall with their bare hand, but my personal opinion is that someone touched the wall wearing a glove. I base this on the fact that some of the infrared images have a fairly clear delineation and distance between the “fingers,” which may indicate that either a large human hand, or a glove, was pressed against the wall. The distance between the “fingers” appears somewhat defined. If the print were caused by someone holding their bare hand to the wall for a long period of time, that type of image may have “bled” which could have produced an image higher and wider than the bare hand, but it probably would have had a different scale and proportion than a gloved hand, and probably would not have been as clearly delineated between the fingers. This is my personal opinion.

Note #1: If the PRS team were properly skilled and versed in investigative techniques and evidence collection, why didn’t they dust the wall for fingerprints? Dusting for prints might have provided evidence to see if the print was made by someone in the house.

Note #2: No one placed a measuring implement next to the thermal handprint image to document it’s size and location. Doing so may have helped determine if the image was made by a bare hand, a gloved hand, or by some other means.

Since the paranormal investigators couldn’t explain how or why a previously-made handprint image could outlast a more recent one, I called FLIR Systems for their professional opinion. I called FLIR Systems because (1) it was one of their infrared cameras used in this episode, and (2) they are “The World Leader in Thermal Imaging.”

FLIR is an acronym for Forward Looking InfraRed.

FLIR® Systems is a company recognized as the “Global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of thermal imaging infrared cameras.” FLIR Systems runs the ITC - Infrared Training Center, with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and Stockholm, Sweden. According to FLIR’s Web site, it “is the world’s largest thermography training organization.”

I spoke with Bob Madding of FLIR Systems on Thursday, 25 September 2008, and reviewed some of the possibilities which could cause one handprint image to persist longer than another. Bob is the Director of Infrared Training at FLIR Systems, in Boston, Massachusetts. To date, Bob has appeared as a thermal imaging expert in two TV programs: MonsterQuest: Ghosts, and Cool Stuff: How Things Work.

Bob has not seen “The Glove” episode of Paranormal State, so I described the situation and asked how one infrared image of a previously-made handprint could persist longer than a recent, briefly-touched infrared image of a handprint.

EXPLANATIONS OF HOW A HANDPRINT IMAGE CAN LAST A LONG TIME
Bob told me that the longer someone holds their hand against a wall, the more heat is absorbed into that wall, and the heat could penetrate more deeply. This means that more heat would be retained in the wall, which would cause an image to persist longer. That way, an image made previously (say, before Michelle stood against the wall) could last longer than the image left when Chad briefly touched the wall with his bare hand. Since Chad only touched the wall for a short time, less heat would have been transferred into the wall.

In addition to how long one might hold their hand against a wall, Bob also mentioned that the thermal handprint image could be influenced by how hard one presses against the wall. Pressing harder can provide better thermal contact, which could result in more heat being transferred, which could also cause an image to persist longer.

And, Bob pointed out, a stronger heat signature can be transferred if someone were to rub their hand against the surface, because the rubbing causes friction which produces heat. Remember, the infrared cameras that FLIR Systems makes are so sensitive that they can detect minuscule changes of temperature. Bob made it clear that “there are a lot of variables” that go into understanding and interpreting infrared thermal images.

While Bob didn’t definitively acknowledge if he believes ghosts exist or not, I asked if he’s ever heard of a ghost being found by using an infrared camera. Bob said he’s “never heard of a ghost being found with infrared.”

Screenshot 2, Paranormal State “The Glove”
Appeared at approximately 19 min 30 sec.

HOW A BIG HANDPRINT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE.

Ryan wears a glove and touches the wall. This is how the print in the infrared thermal image could have appeared larger-than-human. Nothing supernatural here.

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