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Astrobiology
Article
Data sources: UnpayWall
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Astrobiology
Article . 2016 . Peer-reviewed
Data sources: Crossref
https://dx.doi.org/10.48550/ar...
Article . 2016
License: arXiv Non-Exclusive Distribution
Data sources: Datacite
Astrobiology
Article . 2016
MPG.PuRe
Article . 2016
Data sources: MPG.PuRe
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The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence in Earth's Solar Transit Zone

Authors: Heller, R.; Pudritz, R.;

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence in Earth's Solar Transit Zone

Abstract

Over the past few years, astronomers have detected thousands of planets and candidate planets by observing their periodic transits in front of their host stars. Related methods might soon allow studies of the chemical imprints of life in extrasolar planetary atmospheres. Here, we address the reciprocal question, namely, from where is Earth detectable by extrasolar observers using similar methods. We explore Earth's transit zone (ETZ), the projection of a band around Earth's ecliptic onto the celestial plane, where observers can detect Earth transits across the Sun. The ETZ is between $0.520^\circ$ and $0.537^\circ$ wide due to the non-circular Earth orbit. The restricted ETZ (rETZ), where Earth transits the Sun less than 0.5 solar radii from its center, is ~$0.262^\circ$ wide. We first compile a target list of 45 K and 37 G dwarf stars inside the rETZ and within 1 kiloparsec (3260 lightyears) using the Hipparcos catalog. We then greatly enlarge the number of potential targets by constructing an analytic galactic disk model and find that ~$10^5$ K and G dwarf stars should reside within the rETZ. The ongoing GAIA space mission can potentially discover all G dwarfs among them (several $10^4$) within the next five years. Many more potentially habitable planets orbit dim, unknown M stars in the ETZ and other stars that traversed the ETZ long time ago. If any of these planets host intelligent observers, they could have identified Earth as a habitable, or even as a living, world, and we could be receiving their broadcasts today. The K2 mission, the Allen Telescope Array, the upcoming Square Kilometer Array, or the Green Bank Telescope might detect such deliberate extraterrestrial messages. Ultimately, the ETZ would be an ideal region to monitor by the Breakthrough Listen Initiatives, an upcoming survey that will constitute the most comprehensive search for extraterrestrial intelligence so far.

Astrobiology cover story (2016/4), 3 colored figures, 1 Table, language synchronized with version published in Astrobiology

Keywords

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP), Solar and Stellar Interiors, Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics, Earth, Planet, Exobiology, FOS: Physical sciences, Solar System, Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR), Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
53
Top 10%
Top 10%
Top 10%
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bronze
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