OSETI with MAGIC

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OSETI with MAGIC

• Introduction
• Radio SETI
• Optical SETI
• OSETI with MAGIC
• Summary

July 2004
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Introduction

• Philosophically since the time of ancient Greek
  civilization, some people think that Earth is not
  a special place
• Principle of Mediocrity.
• Scientifically
• recent development on Astrometry and Planetary
  Search
• rocky habitable planets expected to be found
  (NEWTON/TPF).

• different environments can also evolve life
  taking profit of some different energy sources ?
  planets evolving life much more probable.
• After that, to become an intelligent kind of
  extra-terrestrial life could be just a question
  of time.

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Introduction
Drake equation

• The number N of intelligent communicative
  civilizations in our galaxy can be estimated by
  the known as Drake equation
• where
• R is the yearly rate at which stars form in the
  galaxy (1 yr-1)
• fp is the fraction of stars that possesses
  planets (0.5)
• n is the number of planets with environment
  suitable for life (2)
• fl is the fraction of planets on which life
  actually develops (1)
• fi is the fraction of these planets in which life
  develops intelligence (1)
• fc is the fraction of intelligent life forms that
  developes a culture capable of interstellar
  communication (0.1)
• L is the time that this culture will devote to
  communication (106 yr)
• Supposing optimistic parameters ? high N (e.g.,
  those in brackets lead us to N 105
  communicative ETC) ? Fermi Paradox where are
  they?

N R fp n fe fi fc L
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Radio SETI (traditional)
Cocconi Morrison (1959) ? proposition of MASERS
operating at HI frequency (1.4GHz). Moderate
RF/MW background high development of radio
communication Frank D. Drake (Project Ozma, 1961)
? first scientific search based on the idea of
CM, searching for HI emissions SETI programs now
are restricted by radio-telescopes observations.
Present searches try to enhance their signal
detection ? interference instrumental
background reduction. At the moment, there are no
significant signal for any of the observed
targets.
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Optical SETI (OSETI)

• Based in optical LASER
• LASER devices have more power than MASER.
• They operate in the optical range ? higher
  bandwidth (faster transmission of information)
  atmosphere transparency.
• Pulsed emission ns ? less natural background
  (Cherenkov flashes).
• ? higher probability for success with more
  significant results.

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OSETI with MAGIC
MAGIC is the largest optical reflector ever built.

• 234 m2 mirror surface ? high concentration of
  light.
• time resolution about 1 ns ? expected pulses
  (O(1ns)) could be resolved.
• PMTs able to detect pulses with few photons ?
  weak luminosity excess could be detected from a
  star.

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OSETI with MAGIC
Minimum pulse energy to get a Single Pixel
Trigger

• Single Pixel Threshold 8 phe
• Average QE 20
• Transmissions 80
• Mean ? for optical ? 500 nm

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OSETI with MAGIC
But LASER traveling

• for reasonable parameters
• dt 1m
• D 10 pc

Helios 3.6 MJ per 3 ns pulse !!!
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OSETI with MAGIC
What can MAGIC do just now?
?LASER Rspt max to be detected, and also it
must be above the Rspt accidental due to stars
luminosity in a significant way. Rspt accidental
can be estimated for an F type star (like our
Sun) with a magnitude 5.5,
Nphe/ns NSB 0.13 phe/ns
?Earth 2.5210-810-0.4m Js-1m-2
Rspt accidental 15 MHz
Rspt Cherenkov 180 Hz
Rspt max readable by MAGIC (expected) 100 MHz
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OSETI with MAGIC

• Following Kardashevs civilization criteria
  (based on the energy resources employed)
• KI (employing their planet)
• KII (employing their star)
• KIII (employing their whole galaxy)

?Helios (at 100 MHz)
MAGIC parameters Dt 1m
KI?
? closest star
Galactic ? Center
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Summary
The MAGIC Telescope is working now, and Rspt data
is taken.
After that, to find an intelligent kind of
extra-terrestrial life could be just a question
of time (spent in analysis)!
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OSETI with MAGIC