Pulsation period variations in the RRc Lyrae star KIC 5520878

TL;DR

This study investigates pulsation period variations in the RRc Lyrae star KIC 5520878 using Kepler data, exploring potential signs of extraterrestrial signaling but finding natural origins for observed patterns.

Contribution

The paper applies a novel analysis to Kepler data to identify unusual pulsation patterns in an RR Lyrae star, testing the hypothesis of extraterrestrial communication signals.

Findings

Detected two regimes of pulse durations in KIC 5520878.

Observed strong autocorrelation with prime number coefficients.

Concluded the patterns are likely of natural origin.

Abstract

Learned et. al. proposed that a sufficiently advanced extra-terrestrial civilization may tickle Cepheid and RR Lyrae variable stars with a neutrino beam at the right time, thus causing them to trigger early and jogging the otherwise very regular phase of their expansion and contraction. This would turn these stars into beacons to transmit information throughout the galaxy and beyond. The idea is to search for signs of phase modulation (in the regime of short pulse duration) and patterns, which could be indicative of intentional, omnidirectional signaling. We have performed such a search among variable stars using photometric data from the Kepler space telescope. In the RRc Lyrae star KIC 5520878, we have found two such regimes of long and short pulse durations. The sequence of period lengths, expressed as time series data, is strongly auto correlated, with correlation coefficients of prime numbers being significantly higher ($p=99.8$\%). Our analysis of this candidate star shows that the prime number oddity originates from two simultaneous pulsation periods and is likely of natural origin. Simple physical models elucidate the frequency content and asymmetries of the KIC 5520878 light curve. Despite this SETI null result, we encourage testing other archival and future time-series photometry for signs of modulated stars. This can be done as a by-product to the standard analysis, and even partly automated.