Commensal searches for extraterrestrial intelligence with Arecibo Observatory and the Green Bank Telescope

Author

Siemion, A.P.V. ; Armour, W. ; Chennamangalam, J. ; Cobb, J. ; Dexter, M. ; Falcke, H. ; Ford, J. ; Garrett, M. ; Jones, Glenn ; Karastergiou, A. ; Korpela, E. ; Lebofsky, M. ; Lorimer, D. ; MacMahon, D. ; Maddalena, R. ; McLaughlin, M. ; Werthimer, Dan

Author_Institution

Univ. of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

fYear

2014

fDate

16-23 Aug. 2014

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

Our group is currently developing two new instruments to conduct commensal searches for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) at the Green Bank Telescope and Arecibo Observatory. The SETI sky surveys conducted with these two instruments will use all available receivers at these two facilities and target a range of signal types. When complete, these surveys will be the most sensitive and thorough sky surveys for radio emission produced by extraterrestrial technology ever conducted. Here we describe the technical details of our new digital instruments, including the signal acquisition, distribution and science processing components. We also discuss expected science returns and potential expansions to the digital system that could enable wider bandwidths and allow other observers to use the system for their own commensal programs with a minimal investment in new hardware.

Keywords

astronomical observatories; extraterrestrial life; radiotelescopes; Arecibo Observatory; Green Bank Telescope instruments; digital instruments; extraterrestrial intelligence; extraterrestrial technology; radio emission; science processing components; signal acquisition; sky surveys; Educational institutions; Graphics processing units; Observatories; Radar; Receivers; Telescopes;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS), 2014 XXXIth URSI

Conference_Location

Beijing

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/URSIGASS.2014.6930055

Filename

6930055