Index:The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, NASA, 1977.pdf

TitleThe Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
AuthorNASA, Philip Morrison / John Billingham and John Wolfe
EditorPhilip Morrison, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and John Billingham and John Wolfe, NASA Ames Research Center
Year1977
PublisherNASA
Sourcepdf
ProgressTo be proofread
TransclusionIndex not transcluded or unreviewed
Pages (key to Page Status)
Cvr" Img Title 7 viii ix x xi xii xiii xiv xv xvi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Foreword vii

Workshop Members vi

Preface ix Philip Morrison, Chairman

I. CONSENSUS 1

Introduction 3

The Impact of SETI 7

Conclusions

1. It is both timely and feasible to begin a serious search for extraterrestrial intelligence 11

2. A significant SETI program with substantial potential secondary benefits can be undertaken with only modest resources 17

3. Large systems of great capability can be built if needed 25

4. SETI is intrinsically an international endeavor in which the United States can take a lead 31

II. COLLOQUIES 37

1. Cosmic Evolution 39 Ichtiaque S. Rasool, Donald L. De Vincenzi, and John Billingham

2. Cultural Evolution 47 Mark A. Stull

3. Detection of Other Planetary Systems 53 Jesse L. Greenstein and David C. Black

4. The Rationale for a Preferred Frequency Band: The Water Hole 63 Bernard M. Oliver

5. Search Strategies 75 Charles L. Seeger

6. The Science of SETI 93 David C. Black and Mark A. Stull III. COMPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS

1. Alternative Methods of Communication 103 John H. Wove

2. Notes on Search Space 111 Charles L. Seeger

3. Parametric Relations in a Whole Sky Search 127 Bernard M. Oliver

4. Stellar Census 143 Charles L. Seeger

5. Summary of Possible Uses of an Interstellar Search System for Radio Astronomy 147 Jeffrey N. Cuzzi and Samuel Gulkis

6. SETI Related Scientific and Technological Advances 173 David C Black and Mark A. Stull

7. A Preliminary Parametric Analysis of Search Systems 179 Roy Basler

8. Radio Frequency Interference 185 Mark A. Stull and Charles L. Seeger

9. Protection of a Preferred Radio Frequency Band 193 Mark A. Stull

10. Responses to a Questionnaire Sent to Leading Radio Observatories 199 Philip Morrison

11. The Soviet CETI Report 211

12. Searches to Date 229

13. The Maintenance of Archives 233 Charles L. Seeger

14. Selected Annotated Bibliography 237

15. Workshop Members. Biographical Information 243 Workshop Meetings 248 BRIEF TITLES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Annotated Star Field iii

View of Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico 1 Frequency scan of α-Ophiuchi xv The Orion Nebula 61 Arecibo search for ETI in M33 92 Antennas at NASA Mohave R & D site 141 Westerbork synthesis map of M51 172 Concept of 300-m space SETI system 184


BRIEF TITLES FOR FIGURES

Page

SECTION II-4

Figure 1 – Free space microwave window 69 Figure 2 – Terrestrial microwave window 70 Figure 3 – Free space temperature bandwidth index 71 Figure 4 – Terrestrial temperature bandwidth index 72

SECTION II-5

Figure 1 – Some frequency allocations in the microwave window 79 Figure 2 – Major parameters of signal detection 89

SECTION III-2

Figure 1 – Pulsar signature 123

SECTION III-3

Figure 1 – Off-axis signal detection scheme 130 Figure 2 – System sensitivity relations 132 Figure 3 – Antenna size requirements 134

SECTION III-8

Figure 1 – Bi-static radar range for ISS receiver 189 Figure 2 – Peak side lobe levels of radiation patterns for large antennae 190 BRIEF TITLES FOR TABLES

Page

SECTION II-5

Table 1 – High power terrestrial radiations 81

SECTION III-1

Table 1 – Mass ratios for two-way trip to α-Centauri 106

SECTION ΙΙΙ-2

Table 1 – Typical antenna gains 114 Table 2 – Origin of system noise 115 Table 3 – Powerful radars 125

SECTION ΙΙΙ-3

Table 1 – System parameters 136 Table 2 – Detection sensitivity and cost 137

SECTION III-5

Chart 1 – Capabilities of large SETI systems 161