The Application of Autocorrelation SETI Search Techniques in an ATA Survey

TL;DR

This study used autocorrelation techniques at the Allen Telescope Array to search for artificial signals from extraterrestrial sources across 1-10 GHz, but found no evidence of such signals, suggesting a very low probability of detection in similar future surveys.

Contribution

It introduces a novel autocorrelation-based SETI search method and applies it to a broad survey, expanding the approach with plans to utilize archived interferometer data for greater sensitivity.

Findings

No extraterrestrial signals detected in 243 observations.

Estimated less than 1% probability of future detection with similar methods.

Proposed expansion to larger datasets for improved sensitivity.

Abstract

We report a novel radio autocorrelation (AC) search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). For selected frequencies across the terrestrial microwave window (1-10 GHz) observations were conducted at the Allen Telescope Array to identify artificial non-sinusoidal periodic signals with radio bandwidths greater than 4 Hz, which are capable of carrying substantial messages with symbol-rates from 4-1000000 Hz. Out of 243 observations, about half (101) were directed toward sources with known continuum flux > ~1 Jy over the sampled bandwidth (quasars, pulsars, supernova remnants, and masers), based on the hypothesis that they might harbor heretofore undiscovered natural or artificial, repetitive, phase or frequency modulation. The rest of the targets were mostly toward exoplanet stars with no previously discovered continuum flux. No signals attributable to extraterrestrial technology were found in this study. We conclude that the maximum probability that future observations like the ones described here will reveal repetitively modulated emissions is less than 1% for continuum sources and exoplanets, alike. The paper concludes by describing a new approach to expanding this survey to many more targets and much greater sensitivity using archived data from interferometers all over the world.