Post by Andrei Tchentchik on Aug 20, 2020 18:27:26 GMT 2
(.#486).- A rapid radio burst that intrigues but without civilization E.T.
A rapid radio burst that intrigues but without civilization E.T.
Fast radio bursts (Fast Radio Burst, or FRB, in English) have intrigued since their discovery. The one known as FRB 121102 repeats itself, as proven once again by new observations which fuel the buzz. However, there are still no good reasons to explain FRBs as extraterrestrial technosignatures.
Article by Laurent Sacco
Published on 05/09/2017
Archives
The rapid radio burst FRB 121102 is intriguing but would not be the sign of an E.T. civilization. Here, an artist's view of a radio telescope studying a transient astrophysical phenomenon. © Swinburne University of Technology
Members of the Berkeley SETI Research Center are behind an announcement that has been buzzing for some time. Perhaps it is to continue to justify the 100 million dollars allocated over ten years to the Seti program by the billionaire Iouri Milner (he is at the origin of this operation, via the project Breakthrough Initiatives, supported by Stephen Hawking). The fact remains that, as part of the Breakthrough Listen program, researchers, including radio astronomer Vishal Gajjar, continued to monitor the possible activity of the rapid radio burst FRB 121102.
Discovered, as its name suggests, in November 2012, this radio burst has intrigued since researchers discovered in 2015 that it was repeated. Some have attempted a daring interpretation of this FRB: it would be the manifestation of the activity of an advanced AND civilization having existed 3 billion years ago (this is the distance in light years from the galaxy where it is found). Many articles, in particular on Futura (see the articles below), have been devoted in recent years to this radio burst.
VIDEO : Meet Vishal: Pulsars and Radio Interference
Radio astronomer Vishal Gajjar tells us about Seti. To get a fairly faithful translation into French, click on the white rectangle at the bottom right. English subtitles should then appear. Then click on the nut to the right of the rectangle, then on "Subtitles" and finally on "Translate automatically". Choose "French". © Berkeley SETI
4 good reasons not to believe in ETs with FRBs
The recent buzz therefore started from the announcement of a series of 15 repetitions of the activity of FRB 121102. These were discovered in the programs recorded during the five hours of observation which were allocated to Vishal Gajjar on August 29, 2017 with the Green Bank telescope. In addition, the frequencies of the signals are sometimes higher than those measured with all the other FRBs known to date. As no natural explanation has yet been established, media speculation about the E.T. origin of the phenomenon has been revived.
We wonder why ... The new observations are certainly interesting but, on the one hand, it is not the first time that repetitions are observed with a FRB and, on the other hand, the new data make tilt the scales a little more towards an explanation involving a natural phenomenon, probably in relation to magnetars or black holes.
In an article by Forbes, the astrophysicist Ethan Siegel, visibly annoyed by this buzz, like several of his colleagues, recalls that there are at least 4 good reasons not to take the E.T. hypothesis seriously:
• Too much FRB is produced for it not to be a natural astrophysical phenomenon. Statistically, with those observed, we can conclude that there are 10,000 FRB each day on the sky, which would make a far too high number of advanced E.T. civilizations. It would then be possible to see them, in one way or another, in the Milky Way. On the other hand, this number of FRB is compatible with an explanation implying a natural astrophysical phenomenon.
• The characteristics of the FRB signals are in fact too variable and random to not be of natural origin.
• Active galactic nuclei produce signals with similar characteristics, suggesting a link with the accretion physics of black holes.
• The power of FRBs is 1019 times that of a radio signal of human origin. So, unless you involve E.T. from a Kardachev type II civilization (whose existence is difficult to swallow), you should prefer an explanation involving a natural astrophysical phenomenon.
Do rapid radio bursts come from E.T. civilizations?
Article by Laurent Sacco
Published on 03/14/2017
Archives
Could the mysterious fast radio bursts have an extraterrestrial origin? According to a new, highly speculative hypothesis, the answer is yes. It could indeed be beams of radio waves having temporarily crossed the Earth and which were intended to propel giant photonic sails carrying interstellar, even intergalactic vessels.
Avi Loeb is a brilliant astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has published articles for years in which he explores amazing ideas (a bit like Freeman Dyson used to do). Thus, according to Loeb, the fossil radiation was warm enough about 15 million years after the Big Bang for living organisms to appear in liquid water on many exoplanets, even very far from their host star. The researcher also showed that an atmosphere polluted by CFC emissions could be used as a biosignature of an E.T. civilization; he also proposed to do Optical Seti by looking for the night light pollution of such a civilization.
Do rapid radio bursts come from E.T. civilizations? Avi Loeb calculated that the energy of a star comparable to that of the Sun and which would be collected by a surface twice as large as that of the Earth (type fragment of Dyson sphere) would be of the order of magnitude necessary to propel a photonic sail. This would then leak out, in the form of radio waves, the amount of energy associated with FRB. © M. Weiss, CfA
In an article posted on arXiv in 2015, Loeb explored the possibility of detecting the emissions of extraterrestrials propelling a photonic sail. Not surprisingly, the following year, we learned that the astrophysicist had been integrated into the research team at the head of the Breakthrough Starshot project; this project consists precisely in sending an interstellar probe propelled by a photonic veil in the direction of the triple system of Alpha Centauri, for example in the direction of the star Alpha Centauri C, better known by the name of Proxima of the Centaur (there are indeed discovered an exoplanet, Proxima b).
VIDEO YOUTUBE : PASSENGERS - Extended Preview
The beginning of the film Passengers, with the interstellar ship Avalon. © Peter Francis, YouTube
A photonic veil powered by a fragment of a Dyson sphere?
Avi Loeb has now posted a new article on arXiv in which he proposes to consider the mysterious fast radio bursts (Fast Radio Burst, or FRB, in English) as a technosignature of photonic veil AND In doing so, it reopens a debate that the we thought closed since the location of at least one FRB was specified (see the article below published on January 6, 2017 for more information). Indeed, from this location, we know that the rapid radio bursts are located outside the Milky Way. Their detection on Earth therefore implies that they are associated with a tremendous release of energy, too formidable to be associated with E.T., it was thought then. But could we really be sure when we do not hesitate to seriously consider the existence of the spheres of Dyson?
With his colleague Manasvi Lingam, Avi Loeb calculated that the energy of a star comparable to that of the Sun and which would be collected by a surface twice as large as that of the Earth (type fragment of Dyson sphere) would be good to the order of magnitude necessary to propel a photonic sail. The latter would then let leak, in the form of radio waves, the amount of energy associated with FRB.
Better, according to the two researchers, the frequency band of the FRBs would be precisely that allowing the photonic sail involved to undertake interstellar, even intergalactic trips, taking with it a mass of the order of a million tonnes, that is to say ie about 20 cruise ships. We obviously start dreaming of the Starship Avalon from the film Passengers, although it is not powered by a photonic sail.
F I N .
A rapid radio burst that intrigues but without civilization E.T.
Fast radio bursts (Fast Radio Burst, or FRB, in English) have intrigued since their discovery. The one known as FRB 121102 repeats itself, as proven once again by new observations which fuel the buzz. However, there are still no good reasons to explain FRBs as extraterrestrial technosignatures.
Article by Laurent Sacco
Published on 05/09/2017
Archives
The rapid radio burst FRB 121102 is intriguing but would not be the sign of an E.T. civilization. Here, an artist's view of a radio telescope studying a transient astrophysical phenomenon. © Swinburne University of Technology
Members of the Berkeley SETI Research Center are behind an announcement that has been buzzing for some time. Perhaps it is to continue to justify the 100 million dollars allocated over ten years to the Seti program by the billionaire Iouri Milner (he is at the origin of this operation, via the project Breakthrough Initiatives, supported by Stephen Hawking). The fact remains that, as part of the Breakthrough Listen program, researchers, including radio astronomer Vishal Gajjar, continued to monitor the possible activity of the rapid radio burst FRB 121102.
Discovered, as its name suggests, in November 2012, this radio burst has intrigued since researchers discovered in 2015 that it was repeated. Some have attempted a daring interpretation of this FRB: it would be the manifestation of the activity of an advanced AND civilization having existed 3 billion years ago (this is the distance in light years from the galaxy where it is found). Many articles, in particular on Futura (see the articles below), have been devoted in recent years to this radio burst.
VIDEO : Meet Vishal: Pulsars and Radio Interference
Radio astronomer Vishal Gajjar tells us about Seti. To get a fairly faithful translation into French, click on the white rectangle at the bottom right. English subtitles should then appear. Then click on the nut to the right of the rectangle, then on "Subtitles" and finally on "Translate automatically". Choose "French". © Berkeley SETI
4 good reasons not to believe in ETs with FRBs
The recent buzz therefore started from the announcement of a series of 15 repetitions of the activity of FRB 121102. These were discovered in the programs recorded during the five hours of observation which were allocated to Vishal Gajjar on August 29, 2017 with the Green Bank telescope. In addition, the frequencies of the signals are sometimes higher than those measured with all the other FRBs known to date. As no natural explanation has yet been established, media speculation about the E.T. origin of the phenomenon has been revived.
We wonder why ... The new observations are certainly interesting but, on the one hand, it is not the first time that repetitions are observed with a FRB and, on the other hand, the new data make tilt the scales a little more towards an explanation involving a natural phenomenon, probably in relation to magnetars or black holes.
In an article by Forbes, the astrophysicist Ethan Siegel, visibly annoyed by this buzz, like several of his colleagues, recalls that there are at least 4 good reasons not to take the E.T. hypothesis seriously:
• Too much FRB is produced for it not to be a natural astrophysical phenomenon. Statistically, with those observed, we can conclude that there are 10,000 FRB each day on the sky, which would make a far too high number of advanced E.T. civilizations. It would then be possible to see them, in one way or another, in the Milky Way. On the other hand, this number of FRB is compatible with an explanation implying a natural astrophysical phenomenon.
• The characteristics of the FRB signals are in fact too variable and random to not be of natural origin.
• Active galactic nuclei produce signals with similar characteristics, suggesting a link with the accretion physics of black holes.
• The power of FRBs is 1019 times that of a radio signal of human origin. So, unless you involve E.T. from a Kardachev type II civilization (whose existence is difficult to swallow), you should prefer an explanation involving a natural astrophysical phenomenon.
Do rapid radio bursts come from E.T. civilizations?
Article by Laurent Sacco
Published on 03/14/2017
Archives
Could the mysterious fast radio bursts have an extraterrestrial origin? According to a new, highly speculative hypothesis, the answer is yes. It could indeed be beams of radio waves having temporarily crossed the Earth and which were intended to propel giant photonic sails carrying interstellar, even intergalactic vessels.
Avi Loeb is a brilliant astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has published articles for years in which he explores amazing ideas (a bit like Freeman Dyson used to do). Thus, according to Loeb, the fossil radiation was warm enough about 15 million years after the Big Bang for living organisms to appear in liquid water on many exoplanets, even very far from their host star. The researcher also showed that an atmosphere polluted by CFC emissions could be used as a biosignature of an E.T. civilization; he also proposed to do Optical Seti by looking for the night light pollution of such a civilization.
Do rapid radio bursts come from E.T. civilizations? Avi Loeb calculated that the energy of a star comparable to that of the Sun and which would be collected by a surface twice as large as that of the Earth (type fragment of Dyson sphere) would be of the order of magnitude necessary to propel a photonic sail. This would then leak out, in the form of radio waves, the amount of energy associated with FRB. © M. Weiss, CfA
In an article posted on arXiv in 2015, Loeb explored the possibility of detecting the emissions of extraterrestrials propelling a photonic sail. Not surprisingly, the following year, we learned that the astrophysicist had been integrated into the research team at the head of the Breakthrough Starshot project; this project consists precisely in sending an interstellar probe propelled by a photonic veil in the direction of the triple system of Alpha Centauri, for example in the direction of the star Alpha Centauri C, better known by the name of Proxima of the Centaur (there are indeed discovered an exoplanet, Proxima b).
VIDEO YOUTUBE : PASSENGERS - Extended Preview
The beginning of the film Passengers, with the interstellar ship Avalon. © Peter Francis, YouTube
A photonic veil powered by a fragment of a Dyson sphere?
Avi Loeb has now posted a new article on arXiv in which he proposes to consider the mysterious fast radio bursts (Fast Radio Burst, or FRB, in English) as a technosignature of photonic veil AND In doing so, it reopens a debate that the we thought closed since the location of at least one FRB was specified (see the article below published on January 6, 2017 for more information). Indeed, from this location, we know that the rapid radio bursts are located outside the Milky Way. Their detection on Earth therefore implies that they are associated with a tremendous release of energy, too formidable to be associated with E.T., it was thought then. But could we really be sure when we do not hesitate to seriously consider the existence of the spheres of Dyson?
With his colleague Manasvi Lingam, Avi Loeb calculated that the energy of a star comparable to that of the Sun and which would be collected by a surface twice as large as that of the Earth (type fragment of Dyson sphere) would be good to the order of magnitude necessary to propel a photonic sail. The latter would then let leak, in the form of radio waves, the amount of energy associated with FRB.
Better, according to the two researchers, the frequency band of the FRBs would be precisely that allowing the photonic sail involved to undertake interstellar, even intergalactic trips, taking with it a mass of the order of a million tonnes, that is to say ie about 20 cruise ships. We obviously start dreaming of the Starship Avalon from the film Passengers, although it is not powered by a photonic sail.
F I N .
