A signal discovery step in interstellar communication

TL;DR

This paper simplifies a four-step interstellar signal discovery method into a single step and provides experimental evidence supporting celestial coordinate associations over a 123.8-day interferometer observation.

Contribution

The work introduces a simplified, single-step signal discovery method and validates it through extensive interferometer observations, advancing interstellar communication detection techniques.

Findings

Statistical power exceeds six standard deviations for targeted directions.

Evidence supports association of directions with celestial coordinates.

Indications of interferometer-induced Right Ascension aliasing observed.

Abstract

Prior work using synchronized, geographically spaced radio telescopes, and a radio interferometer, suggests that narrow-bandwidth polarized pulse pair measurements repeatedly falsify a noise-cause hypothesis, given a prior celestial direction of interest. A four-step method was proposed, tested, and reported, using interferometer phase measurements, to seek common celestial directions among pulse pair components, during 92 days of observation. In the work reported here, the proposed four-step signal discovery method is simplified to have a single step. A 123.8 day interferometer experiment provides measurement evidence supporting a hypothesis that the prior direction of interest, and a second direction of interest, are associated with celestial coordinates. Each pointing direction measures statistical power at greater than six standard deviations, with some indications of associated interferometer-induced Right Ascension aliasing. Explanations are proposed and discussed.