SETI Search Halted as Allen Telescope Array Lacks Funding
Posted By Admin on April 28, 2011
Effective this week, the Allen Telescope Array, used for the Search
for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Institute?s work, has been placed
into hibernation due to funding shortfalls for operations of the Hat
Creek Radio Observatory where the ATA is located. Not only does the
Array enable SETI search, but it also has been used to make advances in
radio astronomy and, most recently, in the development of the ability
to detect space debris.
The Array is a partnership between the SETI Institute and the Radio
Astronomy Lab of the University of California, Berkeley. Consistent
with the original partnership understandings, the SETI Institute raised
the funds to construct the Array, while the operations of the
Observatory have been the responsibility of UCB.
The UC Berkeley Radio Astronomy Lab has operated the Hat Creek
Observatory for more than five decades, hosting several generations of
radio astronomy instruments, the most recent being the ATA.
Historically, the costs of HCRO operations were supported from two
primary sources: major ?University Radio Observatory? grants from the
National Science Foundation, and supplemental budgetary support from
the State of California via Berkeley?s Radio Astronomy Lab.
?Unfortunately, today?s government budgetary environment is very
difficult, and new solutions must be found. NSF University Radio
Observatory funding for HCRO has been reduced to approximately one-
tenth of its former level. This is compounded by growing State of
California budget shortfalls that have severely reduced the amount of
state funds available to the Radio Astronomy Lab,? wrote SETI Institute
CEO Tom Pierson in a letter to supporters. ?Combined, these factors
have resulted in the current decision by UCB to reduce operations of
the Hat Creek site to a hibernation mode, pending future funding or
some alternative solution. Hibernation means that, starting this week,
the equipment is unavailable for normal observations and is being
maintained in a safe state by a significantly reduced staff.?
Meanwhile, even though the array is in hibernation, Pierson said the
work of the Center for SETI Research continues. He outlined a number of
projects that are being worked on, including a software correlator, new
detection algorithms, data storage capability direct to disk from
individual antennas, and a new feed and receiver system. ?We also plan
to develop new tools that will enable citizen scientists to help us
identify the sources of radio frequency interference, and new avenues
for application developers to add new visualizations and detection
algorithms,? he said.
More than two years ago, seeing the early effects of funding
difficulties, the SETI Institute began an effort to replace the lost
funds by seeking a partnership with the United States Air Force to
conduct experiments to see how the ATA could serve as a collaborating
sensor to the USAF space surveillance network, helping track space
debris. Pierson said while this effort is ongoing and showing much
promise, near-term funding has been delayed due to the same, highly
publicized large scale federal budget problems.
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