SearchLites - Vol 19 No 2

Magazine Overview

SearchLites, Volume 19, Number 2, Spring 2013, is the quarterly newsletter of The SETI League, Inc. It is a membership-supported, non-profit educational and scientific corporation dedicated to the electromagnetic search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Pearl Harbor Protocols

This article by H. Paul Shuch, Executive Director Emeritus, draws a parallel between the radar detection at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the SETI Post-Detection Protocols. Joseph Lockard, one of the two US Army privates operating a primitive radar at Opana Point, Oahu, detected a large echo heading towards the Pearl Harbor naval base. Despite being dismissed by an officer at Fort Shafter as likely inbound B-17 bombers, Lockard's detection was the first indication of the Japanese attack. Shuch notes that Lockard's actions—running diagnostics, tracking the blip, and attempting to get verification—form the basis of modern SETI Post-Detection Protocols. While Lockard was detecting terrestrial hostility, the same procedures are applicable to the peaceful pursuit of SETI. Shuch highlights that unlike the limited radar systems of 1941, today's SETI community benefits from numerous capable radio telescopes, many built by SETI League members, which aid in confirming observations.

Tau Ceti's Five Planet Candidates

Authored by Paul Gilster, this article discusses the recent discovery of five planet candidates around the star Tau Ceti, a star that was a target for Frank Drake's Project Ozma in 1960. The findings, from an international team led by Mikko Tuomi of the University of Hertfordshire, utilized new data modeling techniques to detect radial velocity signals half as small as previously possible. These techniques involved adding artificial signals to data and testing recovery methods to improve noise modeling. The researchers used data from HARPS (ESO's 3.6m telescope), UCLES (Anglo-Australian Telescope), and HIRES (Keck telescope). The five candidate planets have masses between two and six times that of Earth. Notably, one candidate orbits in the habitable zone with a period of 168 days and has an estimated mass of five Earth masses, making it the smallest planet found in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. The periodicities of the five planets are 13.9, 35.4, 94, 168, and 640 days. Greg Laughlin of UC-Santa Cruz comments that this work pushes the limits of current radial velocity data and that confirmation will take time. He also notes that the system is typical of what is found elsewhere, with multiple super-Earth/sub-Neptune planets on near-circular orbits. Tau Ceti was chosen for study because it was thought to be a quiet star with no prior detected signals, despite extensive observations. The star is known to have a bright debris disk, suggesting that any planets there might undergo significant bombardment. The proximity of Tau Ceti (3.7 pc) makes it an ideal target for future direct-imaging missions and spectroscopic atmospheric analyses.

Event Horizon

This section lists upcoming conferences and meetings relevant to SETI-related information. Events include Lunacon 2013 (March 15-17), Trenton Computer Festival (March 16), Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest (April 6), the Fourteenth Annual SETI League Ham Radio QSO Party (April 20), the Nineteenth SETI League Annual Membership Meeting (April 21), Spacecraft Technology Expo (May 21-23), Balticon 47 (May 24-27), Central States VHF Conference (July 25-28), Lonestarcon 3 (August 29-September 2), the 64th International Astronautical Congress (September 23-27), and Philcon 2013 (November 8-10). Future events in 2014 and 2015 are also listed, including more SETI League Ham Radio QSO Parties and Annual Membership Meetings, as well as Loncon3 and the 65th and 66th International Astronautical Congresses.

Annual Meeting Notice

This notice announces the Nineteenth Annual Membership Meeting of The SETI League, Inc., scheduled for 1 PM Eastern time on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at SETI League Headquarters in Little Ferry, NJ. Out-of-town members are advised to use Newark International Airport (EWR) and recommended to rent a car. General Aviation users are invited to use Teterboro Airport. The preliminary agenda includes Call to Order, Minutes of the 2012 Meeting, Financial Report, Committee Reports, Old and New Business, and Adjournment. The annual Board of Trustees Meeting will follow immediately after the Membership Meeting.

SETI League Suffers Email Outage

This section reports on recent, prolonged email outages affecting The SETI League's operations, potentially compromising its mission. Both setileague.org email addresses and discussion lists are inoperative. Members are encouraged to contact the leadership team directly via personal email addresses provided: hwood50_at_aol_dot_com for the Secretary/Treasurer and drseti_at_verizon_dot_net for the Executive Director Emeritus. Members are asked to restrict the use of these addresses to bona-fide SETI League business.

SETI League 2012 Program Service Accomplishments

This section details the accomplishments of The SETI League in 2012 across several program areas:

(a) Science Programs:

• Supported 147 Project Argus radio telescopes in 27 countries, coordinating observations and cataloging new candidate signals.
• Monitored telemetry signals and science beacons from NASA and ESA interplanetary space probes.
• Provided Committee leadership to the SETI Permanent Study Group of the International Academy of Astronautics.
• Continued to lend computer support to the SETI@home distributed computing experiment via BOINC.

(b) Technology Programs:

• Assisted members in constructing pending Project Argus stations.
• Coordinated and archived four closed technical email lists.

(c) Public Education Programs:

• Executive Director Emeritus delivered seven public SETI lectures in San Marino, the US, and Italy.
• Members participated in the 2012 Green Bank Technical Conference of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA).
• Executive Director Emeritus published six technical articles and served on editorial boards and as a manuscript reviewer.
• The SETI League provided webmastering and hosting services to the International Academy of Astronautics SETI Permanent Committee.
• Distributed CD copies of "The SETI League Technical Manual" and "Tune In The Universe!".
• Officers and Regional Coordinators answered numerous email queries globally.
• Distributed print and CD copies of SETI League Conference Proceedings.

(d) Media and Outreach Programs:

• Published four issues of SearchLites.
• Coordinated and archived two open public email lists.
• Distributed four Press Releases and twelve Editorials worldwide.
• Filed 52 weekly updates to the SETI League's website.
• Mailed membership brochures.
• Regional Coordinators conducted media briefings and interviews in 46 countries.
• Executive Director Emeritus granted interviews in multiple locations.
• Awards Committee designated recipients for several annual awards.

Guest Editorial: A Telescope on the Moon

By Jon Lomberg, from his "Citizen of the Galaxy" blog, this editorial discusses the concept of "galacticity" and the importance of local astronomy and space exploration. Lomberg recounts a trip to Asia with Steve Durst, founder and president of the International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA), where they spoke about the Galaxy Garden project. He mentions Bob Richards and Moon Express (ME), a company vying for the Google X Prize to land a spacecraft on the Moon and transmit a hi-def image. The payload for this venture includes the ILOA's project: the first astronomical observatory to operate remotely on the lunar surface, which will take an image of the center of the galaxy as its "first light."

Book Review: The Varieties of Scientific Experience

Reviewed by Jon Lomberg, this section reviews Carl Sagan's posthumously published book, "The Varieties of Scientific Experience," based on his 1985 Gifford Lectures. The book explores the religious question often asked of Sagan and presents science as a worldview. Lomberg also mentions an essay by John Robert Colombo comparing Sagan's lectures with those of William James. Colombo's extensive literary knowledge is highlighted, particularly his work on the "Visions of Mars" DVD, which included contributions from various notable figures. The review touches upon Colombo's friendship with Judith Merrill and his past collaborations with Sagan.

SETI League Financial Report

This section presents the unaudited financial reports for The SETI League for 2012 and the proposed budget for 2013.

2012 Revenues (unaudited):

• Contributions: $7,354 (66%)
• Dues, Grants & Contributions: $3,324 (30%)
• Interest & Investments: $410 (4%)
• Premiums: $2 (0%)

Total Revenues: $11,090

2012 Expenses (unaudited):

• Educ. and Scientific Programs: $11,895 (79%)
• Management & General: $1,667 (11%)
• Fundraising: $1,462 (10%)

Total Expenses: $15,024

Excess or (Deficit) for the year: ($3,934)

Budget Tracking – 2012:

• Revenues (budgeted): $18,005; (actual): $11,090
• Expenses (budgeted): $21,000; (actual): $15,024
• Beginning Net Assets (budgeted & actual): $6,851
• Ending Net Assets (budgeted): $3,856; (actual): $2,917

Annual Budget - 2013 (proposed):

• Revenues: $11,002
• Expenses: $13,000
• Excess or (Deficit) for the year: ($1,998)
• Beginning Net Assets: $2,917
• Ending Net Assets: $919

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SearchLites include the importance of established protocols in scientific endeavors (SETI and historical events), the advancement of exoplanet detection techniques, organizational updates and achievements of The SETI League, and the promotion of scientific literacy and exploration. The editorial stance is one of dedication to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, emphasizing the value of member contributions, rigorous scientific methodology, and public outreach. The newsletter also reflects a commitment to historical context and the legacy of figures in astronomy and science fiction.