Vandals — or perhaps aliens — have damaged the Morrow Plots, the nation's oldest continuously used agricultural experimental fields, and possibly tampered with more than a decade's worth of research, University officials reported Thursday.

A 25-foot crop circle was found in the historical University landmark after The Daily Illini received an anonymous letter Monday suggesting a photographer take an aerial picture of the plots.

The letter's writer claimed he or she had been studying at the Undergraduate Library the night before, then took a break to stroll around campus at 2 a.m. when the writer witnessed something "extraordinary and unbelievable" in the Morrow Plots.

"A flying saucer landed in the Morrow Plots after shooting from the sky with a flash of light," the writer said.

The letter was unsigned, the writer said, "for fear I will be ridiculed, but I assure you, I speak truth."

After confirming a crop circle was visible in the plots with a photograph Wednesday, Daily Illini staff reported the incident to University officials.

The University Police Department is investigating the incident.

"This is not very clever or funny," said University spokesman Gary Beaumont, who witnessed the damage firsthand Thursday morning. "It doesn't serve any purpose."

The Morrow Plots, located just south of Foellinger Hall, are a collection of University crop sciences research fields. They cover just more than an acre of land, said Ted Peck, professor of soil chemistry.

Peck, a University staff member since 1962, said vandalism such as this has never occurred to the plots.

"It speaks well of the Morrow Plots' integrity that this is the first instance like this since 1876," Peck said of the plots, which were established that year.

The uniformity and integrity of the plots have been damaged by this incident, said Robert Dunker, a University agronomist in crop sciences who heads research and harvesting of the plots.

"We will still take data, but we'll have to do more work to estimate for the corn that has been damaged," Dunker said. "The real cost isn't monetary, it is the intentional maliciousness at work here."

Data collected from the plots this year is very integral to the continuing research of the crop sciences department, Peck said.

The plots are split into three main research areas: the crops on the north side are rotated every year, those in the middle every two years and those on the south side every three years. Therefore, the data from the three areas aligns only every six years, Peck said. This year is a sixth year in the cycle.

"The damage done could affect 12 years worth of research," Peck said. "This is more than just a prank."

Dick Justice, executive director of the Senate Committee on Student Discipline and Student Conflict Resolution, explained the general course of action that would be taken if a University student was involved in an incident like this.

"If an undergraduate student was involved, a faculty-student disciplinary council would look at the case very closely," Justice said. "If that student were to remain at the University, I would think they would have to perform a large amount of community service."

Some at the University think the effects of the damage to the plots go beyond the loss of academic research.

"The Morrow Plots are very valued by ACES. They're a National Historic Landmark," Dunker said. "This is a strike against the college, and a strike against the University."