Quest for alien signals in the heart of the Milky Way takes off

Date:
May 30, 2023
Source:
SETI Institute
Summary:
A graduate student is spearheading an extraordinary scientific
endeavor - - a groundbreaking mission to uncover periodic signals
emanating from the core of the Milky Way called the Breakthrough
Listen Investigation for Periodic Spectral Signals (BLIPSS). Such
repetitive patterns could be the key to unlocking the mysteries
of extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy.


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==========================================================================
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Akshay Suresh, a graduate student at Cornell University, spearheads
an extraordinary scientific endeavor -- a groundbreaking mission to
uncover periodic signals emanating from the core of the Milky Way called
the Breakthrough Listen Investigation for Periodic Spectral Signals
(BLIPSS). Such repetitive patterns could be the key to unlocking the
mysteries of extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy. Suresh and his co-authors detail the project's results thus far in a paper accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal, "A 4-8 GHz Galactic Center Search
for Periodic Technosignatures." BLIPSS is a collaboration between Cornell University, the SETI Institute, and Breakthrough Listen. By directing
their focus towards the central region of the Milky Way, with its dense congregation of stars and possibly habitable exoplanets, the BLIPSS team amplifies the odds of capturing compelling evidence of extraterrestrial technology. If an alien civilization wanted to communicate with other civilizations throughout the Milky Way, the galaxy's core holds potential
as a strategic site for a beacon.

"BLIPSS showcases the cutting-edge potential of software as a science multiplier for SETI," said Suresh.

SETI Institute Astronomer Dr. Vishal Gajjar is one of Suresh's advisors
on the project. "Until now, radio SETI has primarily dedicated its
efforts to the search for continuous signals," said Gajjar. "Our study
sheds light on the remarkable energy efficiency of a train of pulses as
a means of interstellar communication across vast distances. Notably,
this study marks the first-ever comprehensive endeavor to conduct
in-depth searches for these signals." The team began by testing their algorithm on known pulsars, successfully detecting the expected periodic emissions. Subsequently, they turned their attention to a dataset of scans
of the Galactic Center captured by the Breakthrough Listen instrument
on the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia. Unlike pulsars,
which emit signals across a broad range of radio frequencies, BLIPSS
narrowed its search to repeating signals within a narrower frequency
range -- covering less than a tenth of the width of an average FM radio station. Dr. Steve Croft, the Breakthrough Listen Project Scientist for
GBT and Adjunct Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, highlighted
the significance of this approach, as it combines narrow bandwidths
with periodic patterns that could signify deliberate technological
activities by intelligent civilizations. Suresh's technique presents a
novel methodology to sift through this metaphorical haystack, enabling
the team to identify tantalizing evidence of advanced extraterrestrial
life forms.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Space_&_Time
# Galaxies # Astronomy # Space_Telescopes # Astrophysics #
Space_Exploration # Asteroids,_Comets_and_Meteors
* RELATED_TERMS
o Milky_Way o Local_Group o Globular_cluster o Magellanic_Clouds
o Carl_Sagan o Phoenix_(spacecraft) o Extraterrestrial_life
o Mars_Exploration_Rover

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by SETI_Institute. Note: Content may
be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Akshay Suresh, Vishal Gajjar, Pranav Nagarajan, Sofia Z. Sheikh,
Andrew
P. V. Siemion, Matt Lebofsky, David H. E. MacMahon, Danny
C. Price, Steve Croft. A 4-8 GHz Galactic Center Search for
Periodic Technosignatures.

The Astronomical Journal, 2023; 165 (6): 255 DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/
acccf0 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230530174259.htm

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