An attempt to generate a beacon indicating the existence of the earth on the extraterrestrial life using a laser

A research publication newly published by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proposed using existing laser technology as a beacon to inform "extraterrestrial intelligent life form" that mankind is here " It is.

ET, we're home | MIT News
https://news.mit.edu/2018/laser-attract-alien-astronomers-study-1105

It is Mr. James Clark who is proposing to output a beacon to inform the extraterrestrial intelligent life entity about the existence of a human being by using the existing laser. Mr. Clark's research called "feasibility study (feasibility study)" is published in the academic journal Astrophysical Journal with a peer-reviewed system dealing with astronomy and astrophysics. According to the paper, when converging a high power laser of 1 to 2 megawatts with a large telescope with effective aperture of 30 to 45 m, and releasing it to outer space, it is possible to generate infrared rays which are strong enough to recognize firmly in solar energy It is possible to do.

An image that outputs a beacon for laser to appeal to the existence of humanity towards extraterrestrial intelligent life forms with a laser

If you release a laser beacon towards space as in this paper, astronomers of extraterrestrial intelligent living bodies that may live somewhere in the universe may find this laser It may be able to detect. Planets that circle around stars, Proxima Centauri that are relatively close to the Earth, and Trapist 1 that is 39 light years away from the earth are in an environment suitable for the existence of life · Habitable zone It has been.

If there are extraterrestrial intelligent life forms in these places, it is possible to detect the beacon emitted from the earth using a laser without problems. By using the same system, Mr. Clark asserts that simple messages can be exchanged between planets that are located at many tens of light years apart. According to Mr. Clark, "When communication is successfully exchanged, messages can be exchanged at a data rate of several hundred bps."

by Soroush Karimi

Clark said, "Although it is true that this is a very difficult project, it is not an unfeasible project," said Mr. Clark, who is able to realize the combination of technologies that are likely to be developed in the near future I argue that there is. Whether beacons using lasers are first detected in extraterrestrial intelligent living bodies surrounding the solar system is unknown, but "It is clear that it will bring great attention in the universe."

According to the paper, the beacon is designed to aim at "at least 10 times more than the infrared radiation of the sun". Mr. Clark considers that it can create "a prominent beacon for the universe" that can be detected even by extraterrestrial intelligent life forms by using a large infrared laser and a telescope to increase the strength of the laser.

After that, as a result of analyzing the combination of the laser and the telescope of various output, by combining the laser of the output of 2 megawatt and the telescope of the effective aperture of 30 meter class, it is possible from the planet around the Proxima Centauri which is 4 light years away from the earth It turns out that it can emit infrared rays which can be easily detected. Furthermore, it is clear that by combining a 1 MW laser with a 45 m telescope with effective aperture it will emit infrared radiation that can be detected even from Trapist 1 located about 40 light years away from the earth. In addition, according to Mr. Clark's analysis, it seems that it is possible to generate infrared beacons that can be detected even from a maximum of 20,000 light years away.

Also, when constructing this system on the earth, Mr. Clark insists that it needs to be installed at the top of a mountain so that the laser does not diffuse as much as possible.

by Jaredd Craig

In addition, Mr. Clark also understands that lasers with megawatt output are problematic in safety. A megawatt laser requires about 800 watts of power density per square meter and its power density rises to about 1300 watts per square meter as it approaches the sun. Although the emission of this infrared ray can not be seen with actual eyes, there is a possibility that visual acuity may be impaired by direct observation.

Therefore, Mr. Clark says "It may be safe to establish such a facility in the distant part of the moon, surely unattended." Moreover, "This research is" consideration of feasibility "to the last, whether it is a good idea or not, will be a discussion for the future".

by Alexander Andrews

The infrared beacon outputted by laser can be detected if there is a telescope with an effective aperture of 1 meter or more. But for that, we need to know where the infrared rays are, so it's almost impossible to find a beacon by surveying with a telescope unless you limit the scope of the survey to the nearest stars Clark says.