The Search for Directed Intelligence

TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential for detecting extraterrestrial civilizations through directed energy signals, proposing a large-scale search strategy that could observe over 10^12 to 10^20 systems to find or limit the existence of advanced broadcasting civilizations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel search strategy for detecting extraterrestrial directed energy signals across vast numbers of stellar systems, leveraging recent technological advances.

Findings

Directed energy systems can be detected across the entire horizon at great distances.

Modest searches can effectively detect or constrain the presence of advanced civilizations.

Proposed methods can observe over 10^12 to 10^20 stellar systems for extraterrestrial signals.

Abstract

We propose a search for sources of directed energy systems such as those now becoming technologically feasible on Earth. Recent advances in our own abilities allow us to foresee our own capability that will radically change our ability to broadcast our presence. We show that systems of this type have the ability to be detected at vast distances and indeed can be detected across the entire horizon. This profoundly changes the possibilities for searches for extra-terrestrial technology advanced civilizations. We show that even modest searches can be extremely effective at detecting or limiting many civilization classes. We propose a search strategy that will observe more than 10 12 stellar and planetary systems with possible extensions to more than 10 20 systems allowing us to test the hypothesis that other similarly or more advanced civilization with this same capability, and are broadcasting, exist.