RATING SYSTEM FOR SETI TARGETS

Andrew J. LePage

169 Merrimac Street #1

Newburyport, MA 01950

lepage@bur.visidyne.com

Copyright: Paul Shuch

Abstract

In the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), knowing where to look is important. With hundreds of millions of potential targets, a short list of candidates for targeted searches is a necessity. In the past, target lists were usually based on a simple set of criteria which a potential target star either met or did not meet. Presented here is a quantitative rating system for SETI targets with a sample list of candidates. While the rating system uses assumptions similar to those employed in compiling earlier target lists, here emphasis is placed on using quantifiable properties that could either be directly measured or reasonably simulated to arrive at a numeric rating. The resulting list of SETI targets is not markedly different from those which have been compiled and used to date. Unlike previous lists, however, it can be clearly seen which targets should be given priority over others in a targeted SETI program.

11 Pages

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