On August 30, 2016 there appeared a number of reports in different
mass media on possible detection of a radio signal at RATAN-600
associated with the activity of an extraterrestrial civilization; in
this connection, we consider it necessary to make official comments.
In the last few years, the astronomers of the Skobeltsyn Institute of
Nuclear Physics of Lomonosov Moscow State University together with
their colleagues from the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the
Russian Academy of Sciences (SAO RAS) have been conducting a survey
of astronomical objects in the framework of the SETI
(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program. SETI is the
common name for projects and activities for the scientific search for
activity of extraterrestrial civilizations. The program is oriented
towards searching for radiation of possible artificial origin.
The studies are carried out with RATAN-600 using
wide-range continuum radiometers in the frequency range of 1-22.7
GHz. Such observations at RATAN-600 are made possible owing to its
large collecting area of thousands of square meters, and this high
sensibility of the telescope allows us to search for extremely weak
signals in the Universe, to which SETI objects also refer. The
objects of research within this program are solar-like stars with
planets and solar-like stars with possible non-detected planets.
In the framework of this program, an interesting radio signal at a
wavelength of 2.7 cm was detected in the direction of one of the
objects (star system HD164595 in Hercules) in 2015. Subsequent
processing and analysis of the signal revealed its most probable
terrestrial origin.
As for the other objects of the RATAN-600 survey, it is too early to claim
about any reliable scientific results. Using the obtained
measurements, we are only able to estimate the upper limit of the
detection of the studied areas. It can be said with confidence
that no sought-for signal has been detected yet.
Contacts - Yu.V. Sotnikova
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