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niconiconi (niconiconi@mk.absturztau.be)'s status on Thursday, 27-Jun-2024 01:23:35 JST niconiconi

#TIL The sun is a huge high-gain antenna due to gravitational lensing. A hypothetical Voyager 3 can supposedly reach its >= 550 AU focal point in 50 years, which would allow a high-resolution optical scan of an exoplanet, or to receive alien livestreams from Alpha Centauri at 10 Mbps/watt with just a 1-meter telescope. https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.05570 https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.11871
In conversation about 5 months ago from mk.absturztau.be permalink
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  Interstellar communication. II. Application to the solar gravitational lens
  
  We have shown in paper I of this series (arXiv:1706.03795) that interstellar communication to nearby (pc) stars is possible at data rates of bits per second per Watt between a 1 m sized probe and a large receiving telescope (E-ELT, 39 m), when optimizing all parameters such as frequency at 300-400 nm. We now apply our framework of interstellar extinction and quantum state calculations for photon encoding to the solar gravitational lens (SGL), which enlarges the aperture (and thus the photon flux) of the receiving telescope by a factor of $>10^9$. For the first time, we show that the use of the SGL for communication purposes is possible. This was previously unclear because the Einstein ring is placed inside the solar coronal noise, and contributing factors are difficult to determine. We calculate point-spread functions, aperture sizes, heliocentric distance, and optimum communication frequency. The best wavelength for nearby (
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  Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission
  
  We examined the solar gravitational lens (SGL) as the means to produce direct high-resolution, multipixel images of exoplanets. The properties of the SGL are remarkable: it offers maximum light amplification of ~1e11 and angular resolution of ~1e-10 arcsec. A probe with a 1-m telescope in the SGL focal region can image an exoplanet at 30 pc with 10-kilometer resolution on its surface, sufficient to observe seasonal changes, oceans, continents, surface topography. We reached and exceeded all objectives set for our study: We developed a new wave-optical approach to study the imaging of exoplanets while treating them as extended, resolved, faint sources at large but finite distances. We properly accounted for the solar corona brightness. We developed deconvolution algorithms and demonstrated the feasibility of high-quality image reconstruction under realistic conditions. We have proven that multipixel imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanets with the SGL are feasible. We have developed a new mission concept that delivers an array of optical telescopes to the SGL focal region relying on three innovations: i) a new way to enable direct exoplanet imaging, ii) use of smallsats solar sails fast transit through the solar system and beyond, iii) an open architecture to take advantage of swarm technology. This approach enables entirely new missions, providing a great leap in capabilities for NASA and the greater aerospace community. Our results are encouraging as they lead to a realistic design for a mission that will be able to make direct resolved images of exoplanets in our stellar neighborhood. It could allow exploration of exoplanets relying on the SGL capabilities decades, if not centuries, earlier than possible with other extant technologies. The architecture and mission concepts for a mission to the strong interference region of the SGL are promising and should be explored further.
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  Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell: (lanodan@queer.hacktivis.me)'s status on Thursday, 27-Jun-2024 01:24:59 JST Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell:
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  @niconiconi inb4 we receive our first spam from aliens
  
  In conversation about 5 months ago permalink
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  niconiconi (niconiconi@mk.absturztau.be)'s status on Thursday, 27-Jun-2024 01:42:06 JST niconiconi
  in reply to
  - Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell:
  @lanodan@queer.hacktivis.me "your FTL drive's extended warranty..."
  
  In conversation about 5 months ago permalink
  
  Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell: likes this.

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