Panoramic optical and near-infrared SETI instrument: overall specifications and science program

Wright, Shelley A.; Horowitz, Paul; Maire, Jérôme; Werthimer, Dan; Antonio, Franklin; Aronson, Michael; Chaim-Weismann, Sam; Cosens, Maren; Drake, F. D.; Howard, Andrew W.; Marcy, Geoffrey W.; Raffanti, Rick; Siemion, Andrew; Stone, R. P. S.; Treffers, R. R.; Uttamchandani, Avinash

doi:10.1117/12.2314268

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Notwithstanding the importance that current and planned SETI efforts put in the search for radio signals, the optical and near-infrared spectrum [9] have recently gained a renewed interest [10][11][12]. Modeling the detection probability of signals at micrometer-submicrometer wavelengths requires that aborption and scattering processes of the interstellar medium are taken into account.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bayesian approach to SETI

Grimaldi

Marcy

2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The search for technosignatures from hypothetical galactic civilizations is going through a new phase of intense activity. For the first time, a significant fraction of the vast search space is expected to be sampled in the foreseeable future, potentially bringing informative data about the abundance of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations, or the lack thereof. Starting from the current state of ignorance about the galactic population of non-natural electromagnetic signals, we formulate a Bayesian statistical model to infer the mean number of radio signals crossing Earth, assuming either non-detection or the detection of signals in future surveys of the Galaxy. Under fairly noninformative priors, we find that not detecting signals within about 1 kly from Earth, while suggesting the lack of galactic emitters or at best the scarcity thereof, is nonetheless still consistent with a probability exceeding 10 % that typically over ∼ 100 signals could be crossing Earth, with radiated power analogous to that of the Arecibo radar, but coming from farther in the Milky Way. The existence in the Galaxy of potentially detectable Arecibo-like emitters can be reasonably ruled out only if all-sky surveys detect no such signals up to a radius of about 40 kly, an endeavor requiring detector sensitivities thousands times higher than those of current telescopes. Conversely, finding even one Arecibo-like signal within ∼ 1000 light years, a possibility within reach of current detectors, implies almost certainly that typically more than ∼ 100 signals of comparable radiated power cross the Earth, yet to be discovered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bayesian approach to SETI

Grimaldi

Marcy

2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Refractive Fresnel lenses can be designed with small f-numbers (typically between 0.5 and 2), which make them well-adapted for observing large FoV at low-angular resolution, using large detector pixel sizes such as millimetric Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) and Discrete Amplification Photon (DAPD) detectors selected for the PANOSETI experiment. 18 Refractive Fresnel lenses designed for visible and near-infrared applications are often made of optical-grade acrylic (PPMA) which have high transmittance (> 92% between 400-1700 nm), 36 good stiffness and abrasion resistance, high resistance to UV radiation, and low water absorption in comparison to other polymers. Different techniques of fabrication are used such as injection or compression molding, or hybrid methods (such as coining), with different levels of precision and replication fidelity.…”

Section: Optical Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Pulsed All-sky Near-infrared and Optical SETI instrument project (PANOSETI) is dedicated to the search for technosignatures by means of detecting short (<1,000ns) visible and near-infrared pulse emissions with a high sensitivity (∼ 25-50 photons per pulse per aperture). Equipped with fast (>200MHz) low-noise visible and near-infrared detector arrays, 18 each part of the sky will be observed simultaneously from two locations to detect coincident signals and minimize false alarms generated by various sources of noise. With an instantaneous field-of-view covering 20.47% of the sky (8,445 square degrees), the PANOSETI observatory, further described in Wright et al 18 and Cosens et al, 19 is aimed to perform a high-sensitivity panoramic search for technosignatures from the Northern Hemisphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Panoramic optical and near-infrared SETI instrument: optical and structural design concepts

Maire

Wright

Cosens

et al. 2018

Ground-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII

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We propose a novel instrument design to greatly expand the current optical and near-infrared SETI search parameter space by monitoring the entire observable sky during all observable time. This instrument is aimed to search for technosignatures by means of detecting nano-to micro-second light pulses that could have been emitted, for instance, for the purpose of interstellar communications or energy transfer. We present an instrument conceptual design based upon an assembly of 198 refracting 0.5-m telescopes tessellating two geodesic domes. This design produces a regular layout of hexagonal collecting apertures that optimizes the instrument footprint, aperture diameter, instrument sensitivity and total field-of-view coverage. We also present the optical performance of some Fresnel lenses envisaged to develop a dedicated panoramic SETI (PANOSETI) observatory that will dramatically increase sky-area searched (pi steradians per dome), wavelength range covered, number of stellar systems observed, interstellar space examined and duration of time monitored with respect to previous optical and near-infrared technosignature finders.

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“…That is, we specifically seek connections with known -or yet to be found -ultra fast transients. Examples include the search for optical counterparts of known energetic events, such as repeating fast radio bursts (FRB), delayed optical phenomena from a one time event, or even as part of an optical search for extraterrestrial intelligence (oSETI) program (Wright et al 2018;Kipping & Teachey 2017;Davenport 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%