Some Culturological Aspects of METI Problems with EM Radiation
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128 Some Culturological Aspects of METI Problems with EM Radiation Liliya Filippova and Vladimir Filippov Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Correspondence | [email protected]; [email protected] Citation | Filippova, Liliya, and Vladimir Filippov. 2020. “Some Culturological Aspects of METI Problems with EM Radiation.” Journal of Big History IV (2): 128-135. DOI | https://doi.org/10.22339/jbh.v4i2.4260 Abstract Until the beginning of 2020, from 1974 to 2017, sixteen interstellar radio messages were sent to hypothetical extra- terrestrial civilizations. They were sent from different radio telescopes and had different contents. The METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) projects had different concepts, some of which seem highly controversial. Therefore, a short list of criteria for future METI projects is proposed. As an example, we suggest an interstellar message in the radio frequen- cy range of the electromagnetic spectrum that we call “Golden Wings of a Lemniscate” (GWL). The GWL project is a sim- ple message from Earthlings about their intelligence and readiness for interstellar contact. The digital part of the message contains ten images of lemniscates. The right half of the lemniscate includes the Golden Ratio concept with graphical drawings; the left parts of the lemniscate remain empty for ET reply messages. The experience of developing new projects of interstellar messages, initiative or response, is valuable. In the process of this work, various aspects of METI will be in- vestigated: scientific, technical, informational, cultural, ethical, educational, sociological, psychological, historical, etc. SETI tances of 12 and 10.5 light-years, re- coveries continue (Exoplanet.eu). The In April 1960, at the Green Bank Na- spectively. star Tau Ceti has four planets discov- tional Radio Astronomy Observatory in ered. The star Epsilon Eridani has one Observations continued in May, June, the USA, the young 30-year-old scien- planet discovered and a second one and July. The total observation time of tist Frank Drake organized the first awaiting confirmation. these two stars was two hundred hours; search for radio signals from extrater- however, the pioneering search for sig- Diversified research has begun on the restrial civilizations. A radio telescope nals from extraterrestrial civilizations problem of the search for extraterrestri- with an antenna diameter of 85 feet (26 by Drake forever entered the scientific al intelligence in scientific centers of meters) was used in observations; its history of humankind. Signals of extra- many countries, including international receiver was tuned to a frequency of terrestrial origin were not detected cooperation. Later, this area of activity 1420 MHz (a radio emission of interstel- (Drake 1960). As of the current date (14 received the term SETI (Search for Ex- lar hydrogen at a wavelength of 21 cm). March 2020), with the help of ground traterrestrial Intelligence). Over the Two close stars were chosen for radio and space telescopes, over 4214 planets past decades, SETI strategies have been listening: solar-type Tau Ceti and Epsi- have been discovered near stars in all developed to use high-tech telescopes lon Eridani, which are located at dis- the constellations of the sky and dis- 129 Filippova & Filippov, Culturological Aspects in the accessible ranges of electromag- million. In 2019, the SETI Berkeley Cen- single example of continuous multi- netic radiation. ter established further collaboration year monitoring of any stars or space with scientists working on the TESS objects selected by justified astronomi- An impressive example is a project for (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) cal criteria for SETI in the search pro- the search for extraterrestrial intelli- space optical telescope mission. The grams for technological civilizations. gence implemented by the SETI Berke- TESS satellite telescope entered low Before the alleged discovery of “techno- ley Research Center in the US, in the Earth orbit in April 2018 to search for signature civilizations” or a higher level radio and optical bands, which planets orbiting bright, relatively close of development (emerging from the launched in 2016 (Breakthrough Lis- stars. In the TESS program, the study of “techno-signature” phase) using high ten). The Green Bank (GBT) radio tele- 200,000 stars of the solar-type and red planetary and space technologies, ques- scope, the Parkes radio telescope in dwarf stars, at distances up to ~ 650 tions arise: Australia, and the automated Planet light-years, scattered throughout the Finder (an optical robot telescope starry sky (TESS). All observational data equipped with ultramodern spectro- 1) Do all technological civilizations for the Listen project, combined with graphic technology) are used for obser- profess the position of “information new planet discoveries using TESS, are vations. silence” in all ranges of the electro- analyzed in the SETI plan for the detec- magnetic spectrum to avoid the risk GBT (USA) is the largest fully-steerable tion of so-called “techno-signatures,” a of contact with other civilizations? radio telescope on Earth with a giant term proposed by Jill Tarter of the SETI How can this hypothetical fact, if parabolic antenna of one hundred me- Institute to refer to the technological confirmed in long-term observations, ters (328 ft.) in diameter. The Australi- activities of extraterrestrial civilizations affect the policy of mankind in terms an Parkes radio telescope is also fully found in Breakthrough Listen observa- of interstellar communication: to re- rotated with a parabolic antenna of six- tions. This may be a “leak” from the main silent or to broadcast? ty-four meters (210 ft.) in diameter. planet from the transmissions EM SETI Berkeley Center began to connect range, radiation from alien radars, or 2) Are there space civilizations send- partners from different countries to the laser communications and other tech- ing interstellar messages to transfer Breakthrough Listen Project on radio nogenic activities in the area of their the interstellar communication initia- telescopes: MeerKAT (South Africa), habitat. tive to their future generations? In NenuFAR (France), FAST (the world's this case, what should be the strategy In Russia, according to the SETI pro- largest radio telescope in China), MWA of terrestrial civilization for terrestrial gram, observations were conducted (Western Australia), LOFAR stations in and space SETI monitoring for from the second half of the 1990s (to Ireland and Sweden, Jodrell Bank “random reception” or to reveal a search for both “technological leakage” (England), e-MERLIN (seven radio tele- “convergent space schedule” for re- and possible signals) using different scopes throughout the UK), Sardinia ceiving repeated or new extraterres- telescopes, the largest of which are the (Italy) and Allen Array (SETI Institute trial messages? RATAN-600 radio telescope and the in the USA), as well as VERITAS BTA optical telescope. The RATAN-600 (gamma-ray telescope in the USA) and radio telescope has a ring antenna with Keck Optical Observatory (Hawaii, METI a diameter of six hundred meters (1889 USA) (Breakthrough Listen). On November 16, 1974, at the ceremo- ft.) and the optical Azimuthal Large ny dedicated to the reconstruction of The Breakthrough Listen program in- Telescope (BTA) with a mirror diameter the Arecibo 300-meter radio telescope cludes an examination of 1,000,000 se- of six meters are located in the North in Puerto Rico, for the first time, a short lected stars, the center of our Galaxy Caucasus and belong to the Special As- radio message was sent from Earth to and the entire galactic plane. Outside trophysical Observatory of the Russian extraterrestrial civilizations. At the the Milky Way, interstellar communica- Academy of Sciences. Some noteworthy speed of light on a radio wave of 12.6 tions are being searched for from the results require additional observations cm, the encoded "Arecibo Message" one hundred galaxies closest to us. The on large radio telescopes (Chuprikov rushes to the globular star cluster M13 Breakthrough Listen initiative will span and Filippova 2007; Rudnitskiy 2016). It in Hercules and will arrive at the target ten years, for which sponsor Yuri should be noted that for several rea- in twenty-five thousand years. Its con- Milner has allocated a total of $US 100 sons, starting from 1960, there is not a tent and principles of coding and Filippova & Filippov, Culturological Aspects 130 decoding were developed by the astron- The messages were designed with a METI story. Include some elements of omer "SETI Pioneers" Frank Drake and noise-resistant format and characters. beauty from an earthly point of view. Carl Sagan with the participation of Its main characteristics are as follows: 5) Interstellar messages to extrater- colleagues (Steele 1999). From 1974 to the central frequency is 5.01 GHz (6 restrial civilizations should be consid- 2017, sixteen interstellar radio messages cm), and the effective area of the trans- ered as messages from people of were sent. Among them, in addition to mitting antenna is about 2500 square METI communities, and not as a Arecibo Message (1974), there were fif- meters. The work is conducted from a "Message from all of Humanity on teen radio messages to twenty-four highly stable hydrogen generator in a Earth." Modern humanity belongs to stars. Messages of different contents mode of continuous coherent radiation METI in different ways. Some ap- were sent to four stars: 37 Geminorum