Researchers have developed a new method using the Allen Telescope Array to search for interplanetary radio communication in the TRAPPIST-1 star system.
A new technique allows astronomers to home in on planets beyond our solar system that are in line with each other and with Earth to search for radio signals similar, for example, to ones used to communicate with the rovers on Mars. Penn State astronomers and scientists at the SETI Institute spent 28 hours scanning the TRAPPIST-1 star system for these signs of alien technology with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). This project marks the longest single-target search for radio signals from TRAPPIST-1. Although the team didn’t find any evidence of extraterrestrial technology, their work introduced a new way to search for signals in the future.
A paper describing the research was accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal and is available online as a preprint.
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