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Searching for Technosignatures through Network Analysis
  • Ross Davis,
  • Greg Hellbourg,
  • Caleb Jones
Ross Davis
Indiana University, Indiana University

Corresponding Author:rdavis70@protonmail.com

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Greg Hellbourg
CalTech, CalTech
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Caleb Jones
Walt Disney, Walt Disney
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Abstract

This is a network analysis approach to locate potential technosignatures in space. In the approach, nodes represent exoplanet host stars (host stars as a proxy for exoplanet locations when working with interstellar distances), while edges or connections represent hypothetical ET navigation/communication pathways between the nodes. The approach is flexible whereby it can apply to either non-radio or radio technosigntures. A customizable network fitting algorithm is used to determine the network topology. The data source is the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and the software program used to perform the analysis is a Python software package known as a Point Processing Toolkit or “pptk”, which is useful for visualizing 2D and 3D points. Prospective contributions to the field include narrowed down locations of potential technosignatures in space for mission or project design (e.g., involving the James Webb Space Telescope, TESS…), and operationalization of the Drake Equation in regard to the equation’s term pertaining to the fraction of planets that develop intelligent life.