Search for extraterrestrial intelligence with ATA

For selected frequencies across the terrestrial microwave window (1-10GHz), observations were conducted at the Allen Telescope Array to identify artificial non-sinusoidal periodic signals with radio bandwidths greater than 4Hz, which are capable of carrying substantial messages with symbol rates from 4 to 10^6^Hz. Out of 243 observations, about half (101) were directed toward sources with known continuum flux >~1Jy over the sampled bandwidth (quasars, pulsars, supernova remnants, and masers), based on the hypothesis that they might harbor heretofore undiscovered natural or artificial repetitive, phase or frequency modulation.

The rest of the observations were directed mostly toward exoplanet stars with no previously discovered continuum flux. No signals attributable to extraterrestrial technology were found in this study. We conclude that the maximum probability that future observations like the ones described here will reveal repetitively modulated emissions is less than 5% for continuum sources and exoplanets alike.