What visible smoke ghosts are made of.

[Rowan2222]

These are just my collected thoughts on this subject based on past experiences and discussions with others.
Feel free to discuss, add, challenge etc.
This is just me trying to get to grips with the physics of what causes them.

Smoke Ghosts;-
- Often seen as a mist that takes a human form, but can also be in columns. Can be a loose shape or tight form with outline. Have been seen on water, transition to land and back to water (Chester river ghosts). May emit light in white yellow or green. May smell or have a decomposing odour.
Can appear to move through objects rather than avoid them.

Sometimes seen as a partial human form with no feet area or other parts missing.
Can form within a room then exit through a wall or door - only to appear in another room.

And, even when not visible you can sometimes feel something when walking into one, like there is something there that you cannot see but feels thick or has thick fog like air.

Possible explanations:-
I think we are dealing with a phenomenon that causes a form of a human to alter an area of space in which the density of the air inside it is different than that outside of it, and also carries an electrostatic charge within it.

The electrostatic charge would be noticed by some people as a skin feeling - raising the hairs on an arm, or causing hair to be attracted, or lifted - or light clothing to be moved in an attracting way. This has all been noted.
Electrostatic charges also attract dust, and if this charge was n the shape of a human, then any dust in the atmosphere would be attracted - and stick to or be contained within the ghost form - and thus become visible. This may explain why traditionally ghosts are seen in attics and cellars - both dusty places, or by candle light -which also produces soot.
Likewise any mist or fog in the air would be attracted and become visible when contained.
Some video and my experience shows that a ghost of this type is slow to form in a new room - often it is half way into the room before it is noticed, but then proceeds to walk directly into a door or wall. This would make sense from the electrostatic charge principle as it takes time to attract the dust in the room, yet the charge can pass though objects - leaving the dust behind, but could attract more dust in another room and be seen there also.

Some gasses of decomposition contain phosphorous, which can glow dimly when concentrated, and may be yellow, white or green depending on other composition. As the spirit may be around where his or her body is decomposing then it may be possible that these gasses are attracted and held inside the field to be seen as a glowing figure. It would almost certainly smell of decomposition.
Wind or low level draughts, or stratified air containing smoke may alter what is seen depending on available particles -so you may not get a full body apparition - maybe missing feet or the head.

So we may be dealing with an electrostatic field contained within a form, and the natural effects of dust, water vapour and decomposition gasses are attracted to it enabling it to become visible.

Now I don't know how an electrostatic field can remain or occupy a space by itself, but I think if it were possible it may show itself as a smoke ghost when other air particles are present.

 

[Debi]

Do you consider these to be entities or simply various natural elements that form into what you then call a ghost?

Have you considered they may actually be energy forms of a human spirit or is that beyond the current physics boundary of which you speak? Since ghosts and spirits are actually two different things, have you considered the Stone Tape theory?

 

[Rowan2222]

I have no idea really. I'm just getting to grips with how this type are able to be seen, so I think it is visible particles filling the form of a person that produces this effect.
I think it applies to ghosts rather than spirits, and possibly natural earth spirits that don't have a human form.

I quoted Chester because a few have been experienced over the river there. they rise up vertically out of the still water, move over to the bank where people are - have enveloped some people leaving them felling sad, then move back over the water and sink back into it. It is known that people were hung from the walls in the past, then cut free and they sank into the river, so was a place of execution.

 

[Charleh]

Many times when someone sees a smoky figure they may call them jinn. The story goes that God created them before time out of a smokeless fire. Ironically they came out of the fire in the form of wisps of smoke.

I'm hesitant to use that term as they dont define just any spirit with a smoky figure, but depending on where you are in the world, you could call just about anything unexplainable a jinn or the work of a jinn. Semantics right?

 

[Ribeyebob]

I have seen long slender images at night while I am walking at night down a path. They are usually on the side of the road. I have followed them while walking and driving a vehicle. I have never been able to get close...they move fast and disappear as soon as I begin to pursue them.