Technosignatures in the Thermal Infrared

TL;DR

This paper discusses how data from WISE, Gaia, and JWST can be used to set upper limits on extraterrestrial civilizations' energy outputs through infrared excesses, aiding both astrophysics and technosignature searches.

Contribution

It highlights the potential of combining infrared data from multiple telescopes to identify technosignatures and distinguish them from natural dust emissions.

Findings

Infrared excess catalogs help constrain extraterrestrial energy supplies.

Mid-infrared spectroscopy can differentiate technosignatures from dust.

Upcoming JWST data will enhance technosignature identification.

Abstract

WISE, Gaia, and JWST provide an opportunity to compute the first robust upper limits on the energy supplies of extraterrestrial civilizations, both for stars in the Galaxy (Kardashev Type II civilizations) and for other galaxies (Kardashev Type III civilizations). Together, they allow for a nearly-complete catalog of nearby stars with infrared excesses, which is valuable for both stellar astrophysics and searches for technosignatures; and of the MIR luminosities of galaxies, important for studies of galaxies' star and star-formation properties, but also for the identification of potential galaxies endemic with alien technology. JWST will provide the crucial mid-infrared spectroscopy necessary to identify the origin of these infrared excesses, advancing both traditional astronomy and searches for technosignatures. Such signatures are distinguished from dust by their lack of far-infrared emission and lack of association with star formation.