Is interstellar archeology possible?

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Richard A. Carrigan Jr. ^{carrigan@fnal.gov}
• 关键词：Interstellar archeology ; Dyson spheres ; Kardashev scale ; SETI ; Drake equation
• 刊名：Acta Astronautica
• 出版年：2012
• 出版时间：September-October, 2012
• 年：2012
• 卷：78
• 期：Complete
• 页码：121-126
• 全文大小：390 K

文摘

Searching for signatures of cosmic-scale archeological artifacts such as Dyson spheres is an interesting alternative to conventional radio SETI. Uncovering such an artifact does not require the intentional transmission of a signal on the part of the original civilization. This type of search is called interstellar archeology or sometimes cosmic archeology. A variety of interstellar archeology signatures is discussed including non-natural planetary atmospheric constituents, stellar doping, Dyson spheres, as well as signatures of stellar, and galactic-scale engineering. The concept of a Fermi bubble due to interstellar migration is reviewed in the discussion of galactic signatures. These potential interstellar archeological signatures are classified using the Kardashev scale. A modified Drake equation is introduced. With few exceptions interstellar archeological signatures are clouded and beyond current technological capabilities. However SETI for so-called cultural transmissions and planetary atmosphere signatures are within reach.