The On-Off concept assumes that a sky-localised signal would not be discovered in several telescope observations at the very same time.
The search has of course to date, been unsuccesful in spite of numerous observations that appear to suggest the conditions for life throughout the cosmos might actually be more typical than we first thought. Now Chinese companies are moneying tasks to utilize the Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) to perform searches for alien signals.
The Far Neighbour Project (FNP) was introduced in 2023 and utilizes some fascinating observational methods to hunt for technosignatures from advanced civilisations. They are targetting nearby stars, exoplanet systems, local globular clusters and much more. A paper recently published by a group led by Tong-Jie Zhang explains how the group prepares to utilize FAST along with new observational data analysis methods in the hunt for alien signals..
A home PC running SETI at Home assisting to churn through observational data (Credit: SETI@home).
QUICKLY– which has been nicknamed Tianyan suggesting “Skys Eye”– lies in Pingtang County, soutwest China and was comissioned in 2016. It is the 2nd biggest single dish radio telescope worldwide and has been built in a natural depression. The design is quite ingenious with 4,500 metal panels which form a moving, active parabola. Like other large fixed meals, there is a cabin suspended above the dish from cables. This can move automatically to steer the instrument to get signals from which ever direction is required..
The group are utilizing two brand-new observation approaches in the hope it will improve and improve the outcomes. First is the MultiBeam Coincidence Matching method (MBCM) which resembles the On-Off method that has been frequently utilized in SETI observations. The On-Off principle assumes that a sky-localised signal would not be found in numerous telescope observations at the exact same time. MBCM benefits from FASTs 19 beam receiver so that it can all at once record data in the centre beam AND the outer beams. Then there is the MultiBeam Point-Source Scanning (MBPS) technique which likewise utilizes FASTs 19 beam receiver. It is especially sensitive to persistent narrowband signals and it can at the same time cross-reference observations in a single observation. Together MBCM and MBPS are two powerful and brand-new observational methods that will significantly improve the speed of observation processing and conduct more sensitive observations of more celestial items..
The paper concludes by musing that the techniques and techniques may quickly enable the Far Neighbour Project to run for a millennium and because of that, they avoid explaining precisely how their methods might be implemented throughout such huge timescales offered the speed of technological development. Unfortunately to date, no proof has been acquired for the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence but these new methods need to swing the possibility of detection in our favour if, anybody is out there!
Source: SETI at FAST in China.
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Some years ago I rememeber running the SETI at Home screensaver and would enjoy it for hours to see if any peaks appeared naively thinking they may be signals from an alien civilisation! The search has of course to date, been unsuccesful in spite of numerous observations that appear to suggest the conditions for life throughout the cosmos may really be more typical than we first believed. Now Chinese companies are moneying projects to utilize the Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) to conduct searches for alien signals.
