Planetary radars have announced our presence - Thoughts on short duration signals, verification and responsesThe idea is set forth that criteria are developed to assess whether a particular limited-duration signal is evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI). The nature of short-duration signals is discussed to set the stage for a description of the NASA Microwave Observing Program. Criteria for evaluating the possibility of ETI origin for a signal include length, strength, band width, and accompaniment by a pseudorandom repetition. SETI is described as an educational document that can be employed to illustrate the real difficulties of interstellar communication. It is concluded that to avoid the negative aspects of SETI activities such as the notion of fashioning a return signal the intergenerational nature of interstellar communication be emphasized for the public.
Document ID
19920037955
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Boyce, Peter B. (NASA American Astronomical Society Washington, DC, United States)