SearchLites - Vol 04 No 4

Magazine Overview

SearchLites, Volume 4, Number 4, Autumn 1998, is the quarterly newsletter of The SETI League, Inc. It is a membership-supported, nonprofit, educational, and scientific publication dedicated to the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).

Conference Calendar

The issue begins with a calendar of upcoming conferences where SETI League information will be presented, inviting enthusiasts to attend and encouraging members to submit details of other relevant events. Confirmed SETI League participation is listed for numerous events from September 1998 to September 2000, including international astronautical congresses, VHF conferences, AMSAT meetings, microwave updates, and Worldcons.

Membership Has Its Privileges

This section addresses common questions about joining The SETI League, highlighting the organization's network of volunteer Regional Coordinators who assist 800 members in 44 countries. It details the League's primary activity, Project Argus, a coordinated search for intelligent signals, conducted on a fraction of the former NASA SETI budget. Membership benefits include participation in an email discussion list, ham SETI nets, an Equipment Exchange, and an annual Membership Meeting. Members in good standing can have their web pages linked and receive discounts from commercial sponsors. The article encourages members to get involved in hardware design, software design, publicity, and observing.

Should SETI Protocols Consider Interstellar Travel?

Authored by Dr. Peter Schenkel, this article questions whether SETI protocols should account for interstellar travel. It argues that advanced civilizations might possess spacefaring capabilities, citing NASA's plans and optimistic views from scientists like Carl Sagan and Arthur C. Clarke. Schenkel posits that detecting an alien spacecraft or probe would have far greater impact than receiving a radio signal, necessitating a similar protocol. He criticizes the notion that discussing UFOlogy would tarnish SETI research, emphasizing the need for preparedness across all contact scenarios.

SETI League Acquires Monster Australian Antenna

This news item reports that Noel C. Welstead, Eastern Australian coordinator for The SETI League, has arranged to acquire a 60 ft radio telescope from the Australian Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). The telescope, located at the Parkes Radio Observatory, will be moved to Boonah, Queensland, after extensive refurbishment. It will serve as a prototype design instrument and a verification system for Project Argus, complementing the 5000 small amateur radio telescopes used in the global search.

Where Is Everybody?

Written by Sir Arthur C. Clarke, this piece discusses the current state of SETI, noting that governments, apart from Argentina, do not support the search, leaving it to grassroots organizations like The SETI League. Clarke reflects on the profound impact of detecting an artificial signal and mentions his membership in the IAU committee working on detection protocols. He also explores other possibilities, such as supernovae being industrial accidents of advanced civilizations or alien asteroid defense systems. Clarke expresses optimism about communicating with intelligent ETs, suggesting mathematics or music as potential common languages, and also touches upon communication with whales and dolphins.

Editorial: Nothing Is Impossible

Dr. H. Paul Shuch, Executive Director, encourages SETI League members to embrace unconventional ideas, such as searching for intelligent interstellar nanoprobes. He argues that breakthrough thinking challenges the dominant paradigm and that visionaries overcome difficulties rather than dismissing novel proposals. Shuch commends SETI League members for their visionary approach and reminds them that what seems impossible today may become mainstream tomorrow.

Own A Piece of SETI History!

This section announces that The SETI League is offering salvaged pieces of the metal mesh from the demolished Big Ear Radio Telescope at Ohio State University. These artifacts, mounted on a plaque with a depiction of the 'Wow!' signal, are available for a minimum $100 tax-deductible contribution to The SETI League.

Technical Feature: Don't Rule Out Interstellar Probes

Authored by Gerald Nordley, this feature discusses the engineering challenges of interstellar probes. It references a previous panel design for a starship and highlights the surprising conclusion that ambient cosmic radiation, not radiation of passage, drove shielding considerations. Nordley notes that technology assumptions are rapidly becoming obsolete and that radiation exposure issues for interstellar travel may be similar to long-term solar system missions. He suggests that missions would likely be sent at better than half the speed of light, making stars about twenty years apart. The article also touches upon the use of nanotechnology, magnetic fields for particle deflection, and energy requirements for interstellar travel, suggesting self-replicating machines and mining giant planet atmospheres as potential energy sources. It concludes by referencing the Fermi paradox: "Where are they?"

Software Corner: Modeling Fresnel Antennas

Henry Wallace presents a BASIC program for predicting the locations of zones in Zone Plate (reflecting) Fresnel antennas. The program calculates the borders of these zones, which alternate between reflecting and absorbing. Wallace discusses a suggestion to place such an array a quarter wavelength above a groundplane and notes that the program is a rudimentary beginning of a simulation. He provides a second, more detailed BASIC program for a Zone Plate antenna simulation, written for the Apple II computer, and encourages readers to rewrite it in 'C' using math co-processors for greater speed. He also discusses the potential performance of constructed discs and suggests methods for increasing their specularity, emphasizing the need for experimentation.

Introducing: The SETI League's Membership Services Committee Chair

This section introduces Dr. Amanda Baker, the new SETI League Membership Services Committee Chair. It details her background in physics and astronomy, her PhD in infrared studies, and her fascination with the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. Baker has been involved in the search through presentations, interviews, and as a Regional Coordinator. She is looking forward to working on a Project Argus station.

Why Project Argus?

Authored by Dr. Amanda Baker, this article explains the rationale behind Project Argus. It compares the coverage of amateur SETI stations to professional searches, highlighting that while professionals are sensitive to weak signals, amateurs can cover the entire sky 24 hours a day with 5000 dedicated stations. Project Argus aims to detect artificial signals from 'The Waterhole' frequency range. The detection of such a signal would have immense philosophical importance, potentially answering the question of whether humanity is alone in the universe.

SETI League Adds New Email Lists

This announcement details four new email lists added by The SETI League to enhance member communications: [email protected] (open forum), [email protected] (closed, moderated for officers), [email protected] (moderated for Project Argus technical discussions), and [email protected] (closed, low-volume list for Project Argus candidate signal verification).

Ask Dr. SETI

This Q&A section addresses two reader questions. The first asks about the maximum distance at which a civilization with Earth-like technology could be detected. The response indicates that larger SETI telescopes might detect signals up to 1000 light-years away, while smaller amateur stations would be limited to the nearest stars. The second question concerns estimates of SETI success and the implications of the Drake equation. The response acknowledges that Frank Drake is re-evaluating his success estimates and emphasizes the vastness of the Milky Way, the low probability of pointing an antenna at the right star at the right time, and the limited range of current detection systems. It suggests that current outcomes are a lack of instantly verifiable results rather than a lack of success, and that communicative civilizations are modestly rare.

SETI League Website Achieves HTML 4.0 Compliance

This brief note announces that The SETI League's website has achieved compliance with HTML 4.0 Transitional standards, making it the world's first SETI website to do so. It highlights the website's extensive content and its role as a resource for information on SETI and radio astronomy.

Back Cover Information

The back cover includes standard publication information for SearchLites, ISSN, copyright details, and contact information for The SETI League. It also features a form for accepting credit card payments for membership dues and contributions, and a list of membership premiums and their costs. A section titled "Memberships Make Great Gifts!" encourages readers to purchase memberships for others. Finally, a notice prompts readers to check their mailing label for their subscription expiration date.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the practical aspects of SETI research, including technological developments (antennas, probes), organizational efforts (Project Argus, membership drives), and the philosophical implications of potential contact. The editorial stance is one of cautious optimism, emphasizing the importance of visionary thinking, preparedness for various contact scenarios, and the reliance on membership support to continue the search. There is a clear distinction made between scientific SETI and UFOlogy, with an emphasis on rigorous scientific inquiry.