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A Scientific Search for Visitation
from Extraterrestrial Probes

A New Search Model in the Quest to find ETI

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Part 4. The SETV Experiment


SETV is an observational research effort and composed of three complimentary experiments. The first is to demonstrate that autonomous search instruments can be built and operated, the second to collect meaningful data and the third a contact or communication experiment. The SETV heterotic model combines the best features of the SETA, a search for artifacts, (Freitas, 1983; Freitas & Valdes, 1985) and SETI search models, both of which depend on making observations using scientific methods and instrumentation. Here are the two predominant hypotheses:

The SETA Artifact Hypothesis states:

    "A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilization has undertaken a long-term program of interstellar exploration via transmission of material artifacts." (Freitas, 1983)

The SETI Energy Marker Hypothesis states:

    "A technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilisation has recognized the use of electromagnetic energy, at certain unversally known and/or practical wavelengths, as a means to remotely explore the universe and detect, contact or communicate with other advanced civilizations"

Both hypotheses express an assumption that ETI exist, are technologically based and using that technology as a tool to explore the cosmos, search for life and signs of intelligence. These hypotheses are sub-parts of a larger, multi-dimensional, SET (Search for ET) hypothesis which includes Active SETI (ASETI) beacons and Optical SETI (OSETI). As will be seen, SETV's vigor lies in combining the best features in the SETA and SETI models into a strategy that maximizes the possibilities of producing trustworthy experimental results.

The SETV Hypothesis states:

    Technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations have deployed interstellar exploratory probes and there is a zero probability that any functioning probes have reached our solar system and are detectable using exising terrestrial technologies.

The SETV model is not meant to directly prove the ETI probes exist. It has been devised to show indirectly, via hard data, that the converse is false thereby refuting the SETV null hypothesis. Within the model, a visitation is defined as the presence of any functioning extraterrestrial artifact inside a heliocentric sphere with a radius of 1000 Astronomical Units (AU). There is no requirement to determine the origin, age, or internal contents of the artifact, only its presence in clearly measurable form. A probe artifact that resides outside the 1000 AU sphere or flies past, is not considered an active visitation.

By searching near and far within the 4.2x10^6 AU^3 heliocentric volume can we hope to find observational evidence for visiting ETI probes and challenge the SETV hypothesis. The SETV near search, inherited from SETA, involves scanning for evidence of active ETI probes whose primary function is a close study of Earthly features. The far search, inherited from SETI, involves a combined radio/optical search of the rest of the solar system for evidence of ETI probe telecommunication activity. The far search aspect of SETV will be discussed later.

SETV near involves both passive detection experiments and active experiments. Active SETV is designed to establish photonic contact with robotic probes that may be present and interested enough to respond. Passive detection involves building autonomous computer-controlled data acquisition systems (DAS) that include specific types of instrumentation. The SETV DAS is a thoughtfully engineered platform that utilized as much commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) instrumentation as possible. Logistically, a platform, or array of platforms, is deployed into a carefully surveyed location and left to run unattended for weeks or months at a time. The choice of location is based on assumed probe interests and areas deemed to have a highly recidivist amount of probe activity. For platforms remotely located in wilderness, or rough terrain, multiple solar panels are used to not only power the platform during the day, but also charge batteries that run the platform at night. The baseline design calls for rugged, all-weather operation. The SETV DAS must also include Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to update its system clock, provide a frequency reference for data acquisition hardware and determine the location and elevation of the platform. Differential GPS can be implemented initially, if needed, to more accurately determine the platform determine the platform's location and elevation.

Before initial DAS deployment, a careful field survey must be conducted to understand the local environment and determine what forms of "background noise" or interference are present. The background magnetic, radio, seismic, gravimetric and meteorologic effects need to be known a prior and included in the platform calibration process.

The calibration process involves the optical and mechanical alignment of the platform, instrument adjustments and numerous system self-tests. For traceability purposes, every aspect of the field survey, on-site platform assembly, setup and calibration must be well documented. Once the survey and platform calibration are complete the operator(s) leave the area and remotely activate the DAS. (in part to eliminate the possibility of Human operators 'leaking' experiment 'intent' to ETI probes or artifacts). Platform raw data is archived and downloaded periodically or when the operators are alerted. Recorded data is transferred via free-space LASER link or radio modem.

People are not part of the data acquisition process and this is for several important reasons. First, waiting for specific events that may rarely, or never, occur eventually becomes boring and/or depressing to the experimenter. Other work or research can take place while waiting for an event. Subjective Human obsevations tend to conflict with the more reliable computerized instrumentation --a computer doesn't subjectivley argue about its data.

The physical presence of people (i.e. experimenter effects) may interfere with the operation of the instruments and bias the data.

During times of excitement or stress, people's reactions are generally unreliable and memories become fallible (Hart & Zuckerman, 1995; Hendry, 1979). If it becomes necessary for Human observers to be present during a data acquisition event, these participants should be connected to physiological monitoring equipment such as a quantitative electroencephalograph (QEEG), infrared photoplethysmograph (IRRPG), electrodermal activity (ED) and electroculograph (EOG). Although not at all required, physiological reaction data from observers has objective value to SETV research.

Operating a SETV DAS platform autonomously solves many problems associated with Human generated observation data that is anecdotal and easily refutable by skeptics most of the time. Uncorrupted raw data can be repeatedly analyzed by scientist and skeptic alike. Furthermore, autonomous instrumentation operation follows the overall trend toward robotic observatories outlined by Bode (1995) and the 21st century observing methods (Boroson, Davies, & Roboson, 1996). The types of SETV instruments utilized depend on the kinds of environmental or physical interactions to be detected. Specific instruments are matched to predicted features and environmental interactions. The exact instrument types used depend on the DAS "deployment phase". There are four basic deployment phases:

The initial phases can be engineered first and expanded upon in subsequent phases --i.e., phase D should not be tackled until the previous phases have been tested. In practice construction may not follow recommended chronology. Phase A platform is absolutely required for all experiments.

These experiments may seem ambitious, but they are entirely feasible and affordable using extant computer and sensor technologies. Compared to just 15 years ago, a large variety of instrument types are now available with embedded analog to digital (A/D) converters, microprocessors and built-in parallel or serial data acquisition (DAQ) interfaces. It is the recent advances in computer, miniaturization, passive and active sensor technologies that make this part of the SETV experiment possible. Using mainly COTS components reduces cost, design time and customization. This also makes it possible for other people to more readily build and repeat the same experiments. Indeed, an experimental platform called ROTSE-I (Robotic Optcal Transient Search Experiment) uses considerable COTS hardware and has been in operation for about one year (Kehoe et al, 1998). The SETV DAS is very similar conceptually to ROTSE-I and II. Also of note is the "Project Hessdalen" experiment, (Sturrock, 1998).

Having multiple instruments for each phase provides the necessary corroborating data and this data need not be photgraphic. In terms of collecting unambigous data on any kind of Anomalous Observational Phenomena--AOP, (Sagan & Page, 1974), photographs and video footage alone can't stand on their own merit, nor be used to draw firm conclusions. Photos and video of AOP only confirm something was visible, not its origin or makeup. The subjective interpretatin of photographs, considered to protray "objective reality", along with visual observations was played out during the protracted "Martian Canals Controversy" (Dick, 1996). A collection of hundreds of low resolution photgraphs could not have halted the controversy. A similar controversy with AOP can be avoided by bringing mutiple instruments to bear on the problem. Optical astronomy has used photographs in combination with spectroscopy, IR, UV, x-ray, y-ray, cosmic-ray and radio astronomy observations to better understand the physical properties of galzies and other stellar objects. In the case of gaxies, visible photgraphs alone can not reveal much more than outward aggregate features. While aesthetic, these snapshots tell very little about the physical properties of the specific galaxy. The same holds true for studying any kind of AOP event, of which visiting ETI probes is definitely calssified. Reliable field data collected from several different corroborating instruments of a single AOP event may reveal tantalizing features, but can't possibly stand alone as hared evidence or proof of ETI visitation. From the onset, detailed resolution of multiple features must be sought. Because of the data rich, yet possibly transient nature of AOP, SETV verification will depend on multiple, single-site, observations made over weeks, months or years at a time. Data from other SETV DAS sites in operation can aid in verification. Indeed, patience is golden for the SETV researcher since it will take time to falsify the null hypothesis. Researchers must be both objective and critical of the SETV data to the point of being dismissive. A positive side benefit of operating SETV phase-B platform is its ability to collect scientific data in fields relating to seismology, climatology, meteor, cometary and others, thus providing value beyond that of ETI probe and AOP studies.



Conclusion

SETV is a heterotic combination of features inherited from SETA and SETI. This observational strategy uses scientific experiments aimed at detecting signs of possible ETI probe activity in our solar system. Recent technological advancements make it possible to conduct a systematic search for visitation from intelligent autonomous probes or artifacts of unknown and suspected ExtraTerrestrial origin. Ground-based autonomous platforms can be constructed using commercially available instruments, DAQ interfaces and computer hardware to collect data. Unambiguous data can be used to aid in the falsification of the SETV ETI probe null hypothesis thereby verifying and logically proving the existence of ETI in the Earth environment. If probes are indeed present we may be able to establish basic communication with them optically via the aid of a photonically transmitted language primer.

Modern exobiology and astrobiology studies are doing more than just debate the probablilties they are planning remote-sensing probe missions to look for signs of ET life on Mars, Europa and other bodies. Similarly, its time to stop debating the probabilities of ET intelligence and start building observational instruments to aid in proving we are not alone!

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