Time Space and Laser research
December 18th 2007 09:16
Category: No Category
The search for extra terrestrials has been ongoing so far there is not much to show for all the effort and financial resources.
Although we humans like to have our “space” we still don’t want to be the alone in the universe. So far the search for E.Ts has been conducted mostly in the radio spectrum we listen with our radio telescopes and all we hear mostly is galactic noise the sound of hydrogen atoms buzzing around the great void of space and time.
Time is the key if we model what has happened here on Earth over the past few millions years and given the right conditions for humans to evolve from pre stone age to point where we have the technology to send and receive radio signals construct computers have language skills would take say hundred million years. If such a society has existed before we even began to evolve and had the capacity we have or perhaps more evolved technologic than we are the signals produced by that society would be echoes from the past because that civilization would most probably have died out. The probability that we could decode any such signal would be a monumental task.
How can we estimate the possibility of other planet s supporting life?
There is a well accepted mathematical equation that helps give an answer to how many planets in the universe could support civilisations. The Drake Equation, as it has become known, was first presented by Dr Drake in 1961 and identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilisations.
The equation is expressed in this fashion.
N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L
Where,
N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.
R* =The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.
fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.
ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.
fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.
fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.
fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.
( and no the answer is not 42)
N* represents the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy current estimates are 100 billion.
fp is the fraction of stars that have planets around them estimates range from 20% to 50%.
ne is the number of planets per star that are capable of sustaining life the range is 1 to 5.
fl is the fraction of planets in ne where life evolves 0.1 to 100%
fi is the fraction of fl where intelligent life evolves 2 to 100%
fc is the fraction of fi that communicate the estimate is 10% to 20%
fL is fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilisations live for
not an easy question to answer.
If we take Earth as an example, the expected lifetime of our Sun and the Earth is around 10 billion years. So far we've been communicating with radio waves for less than 95 years. How long will our civilisation survive? Will we destroy ourselves in a few years like some predict or will we overcome our problems and survive for millennia? If we were destroyed tomorrow the answer to this question would be 1/100,000,000th. If we survive for 10,000 years the answer will be 1/1,000,000th.
The answer is 10,000 civilisations within our own galaxy that would be able to communicate.
So what are we to do?
Let’s focus our intentions closer to home say stars 50 light years from us. Let’s begin our search a little closer. The nearest star is Alpha Centauri is 4 light years away or about 6 trillion miles away and if this star has a solar system that is like our own then the possibility of two way communication would be possible if both civerlisations possessed relevant equal amounts of technology.
The closest Galaxy to us is M31 it is 2.54 MILLION LIGHT YEARS away from us 5,000,000 is a long time to wait for an answer if indeed we ever got one.
My personal opinion is that we should look at using other alternative search methods like laser communication.
Although radio waves are a good source for investigation into probable existence of other intelligent beings the use of laser technology should enhance the chance of finding something out there. I am a keen astronomer I have used both optical and radio telescopes currently I am working on a homemade version of a laser detector in my spare time. The laser detector would be coupled to an optical telescope and hopefully detect any laser pulses.
Lasers are used widely in astronomy in this image a laser beam used to create an artificial star above Paranal located in South America aiming directly at the centre of our own Galaxy. It is used to obtain images that are free from the blurring effect of the atmosphere.
I have an open mind on this subject it may well be that we are only ones.......
Image: ESA 2007
Although we humans like to have our “space” we still don’t want to be the alone in the universe. So far the search for E.Ts has been conducted mostly in the radio spectrum we listen with our radio telescopes and all we hear mostly is galactic noise the sound of hydrogen atoms buzzing around the great void of space and time.
Time is the key if we model what has happened here on Earth over the past few millions years and given the right conditions for humans to evolve from pre stone age to point where we have the technology to send and receive radio signals construct computers have language skills would take say hundred million years. If such a society has existed before we even began to evolve and had the capacity we have or perhaps more evolved technologic than we are the signals produced by that society would be echoes from the past because that civilization would most probably have died out. The probability that we could decode any such signal would be a monumental task.
How can we estimate the possibility of other planet s supporting life?
There is a well accepted mathematical equation that helps give an answer to how many planets in the universe could support civilisations. The Drake Equation, as it has become known, was first presented by Dr Drake in 1961 and identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilisations.
The equation is expressed in this fashion.
N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L
Where,
N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.
fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.
ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.
fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.
fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.
fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.
( and no the answer is not 42)
N* represents the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy current estimates are 100 billion.
fp is the fraction of stars that have planets around them estimates range from 20% to 50%.
ne is the number of planets per star that are capable of sustaining life the range is 1 to 5.
fl is the fraction of planets in ne where life evolves 0.1 to 100%
fi is the fraction of fl where intelligent life evolves 2 to 100%
fc is the fraction of fi that communicate the estimate is 10% to 20%
fL is fraction of the planet's life during which the communicating civilisations live for
not an easy question to answer.
If we take Earth as an example, the expected lifetime of our Sun and the Earth is around 10 billion years. So far we've been communicating with radio waves for less than 95 years. How long will our civilisation survive? Will we destroy ourselves in a few years like some predict or will we overcome our problems and survive for millennia? If we were destroyed tomorrow the answer to this question would be 1/100,000,000th. If we survive for 10,000 years the answer will be 1/1,000,000th.
The answer is 10,000 civilisations within our own galaxy that would be able to communicate.
So what are we to do?
Let’s focus our intentions closer to home say stars 50 light years from us. Let’s begin our search a little closer. The nearest star is Alpha Centauri is 4 light years away or about 6 trillion miles away and if this star has a solar system that is like our own then the possibility of two way communication would be possible if both civerlisations possessed relevant equal amounts of technology.
The closest Galaxy to us is M31 it is 2.54 MILLION LIGHT YEARS away from us 5,000,000 is a long time to wait for an answer if indeed we ever got one.
My personal opinion is that we should look at using other alternative search methods like laser communication.
Although radio waves are a good source for investigation into probable existence of other intelligent beings the use of laser technology should enhance the chance of finding something out there. I am a keen astronomer I have used both optical and radio telescopes currently I am working on a homemade version of a laser detector in my spare time. The laser detector would be coupled to an optical telescope and hopefully detect any laser pulses.
Lasers are used widely in astronomy in this image a laser beam used to create an artificial star above Paranal located in South America aiming directly at the centre of our own Galaxy. It is used to obtain images that are free from the blurring effect of the atmosphere.
I have an open mind on this subject it may well be that we are only ones.......
Image: ESA 2007
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