Summary (Aug 13, 2003): How to deal with the success of a SETI enterprise? A declaration of principles has put forward the protocol for reporting an unexplained signal detection- how to notify the astronomical community, the government and the public (the order is unspecified).
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 Dealing with Success?
SETI has grown from a lone wolf project to an effort involving a worldwide pack of scientists. Realizing that finding a signal would, of course, happen unexpectedly, the researchers decided that it would be a good idea to formulate a plan of "what to do next."
 | "[Contacting other civilizations] is very expensive; it's better to spend our resources listening." -Frank Drake
Image Credit: Arecibo Radio Telescope, NASA |
And formulate they did. Most of the sweat equity was contributed by John Billingham and Jill Tarter (now at the SETI Institute) together with Michael Michaud (currently retired), together with their colleagues on the SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). In 1989, they submitted to the academy a short document with a long title: "A Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence." It was an action plan in case a signal was found.
Although approved by the IAA and a gush of other space and astronomy groups, the declaration is really only a gentlemen's agreement. It has no force of law - after all, who could or would enforce it?
On the other hand, all the major SETI research teams have said they will abide by it if their telescopes pick up a faint buzz from space. The contents of the declaration are all maternity and apple pie: check the signal to be sure that it's truly extraterrestrial, then notify the astronomical community, the government and the public (the order is unspecified).
The "Declaration of Principles" are as follows.
We, the institutions and individuals participating in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence,
Recognizing that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is an integral part of space exploration and is being undertaken for peaceful purposes and for the common interest of all mankind,
Inspired by the profound significance for mankind of detecting evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, even though the probability of detection may be low,
Recalling the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, which commits States Parties to that Treaty "to inform the Secretary General of the United Nations as well as the public and the international scientific community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations and results" of their space exploration activities (Article XI),
Recognizing that any initial detection may be incomplete or ambiguous and thus require careful examination as well as confirmation, and that it is essential to maintain the highest standards of scientific responsibility and credibility,
Agree to observe the following principles for disseminating information about the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence:
- Any individual, public or private research institution, or governmental agency that believes it has detected a signal from or other evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence (the discoverer) should seek to verify that the most plausible explanation for the evidence is the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence rather than some other natural phenomenon or anthropogenic phenomenon before making any public announcement. If the evidence cannot be confirmed as indicating the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, the discoverer may disseminate the information as appropriate to the discovery of any unknown phenomenon.
- Prior to making a public announcement that evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence has been detected, the discoverer should promptly inform all other observers or research organizations that are parties to this declaration, so that those other parties may seek to confirm the discovery by independent observations at other sites and so that a network can be established to enable continuous monitoring of the signal or phenomenon. Parties to this declaration should not make any public announcement of this information until it is determined whether this information is or is not credible evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. The discoverer should inform his/her or its relevant national authorities.
- After concluding that the discovery appears to be credible evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, and after informing other parties to this declaration, the discoverer should inform observers throughout the world through the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams of the International Astronomical Union, and should inform the Secretary General of the United Nations in accordance with Article XI of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Bodies. Because of their demonstrated interest in and expertise concerning the question of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, the discoverer should simultaneously inform the following international institutions of the discovery and should provide them with all pertinent data and recorded information concerning the evidence: the International Telecommunication Union, the Committee on Space Research, of the International Council of Scientific Unions, the International Astronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Institute of Space Law, Commission 51 of the International Astronomical Union and Commission J of the International Radio Science Union.
- A confirmed detection of extraterrestrial intelligence should be disseminated promptly, openly, and widely through scientific channels and public media, observing the procedures in this declaration. The discoverer should have the privilege of making the first public announcement.
- All data necessary for confirmation of detection should be made available to the international scientific community through publications, meetings, conferences, and other appropriate means.
- The discovery should be confirmed and monitored and any data bearing on the evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence should be recorded and stored permanently to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, in a form that will make it available for further analysis and interpretation. These recordings should be made available to the international institutions listed above and to members of the scientific community for further objective analysis and interpretation.
- If the evidence of detection is in the form of electromagnetic signals, the parties to this declaration should seek international agreement to protect the appropriate frequencies by exercising procedures available through the International Telecommunication Union. Immediate notice should be sent to the Secretary General of the ITU in Geneva, who may include a request to minimize transmissions on the relevant frequencies in the Weekly Circular. The Secretariat, in conjunction with advice of the Union's Administrative Council, should explore the feasibility and utility of convening an Extraordinary Administrative Radio Conference to deal with the matter, subject to the opinions of the member Administrations of the ITU.
- No response to a signal or other evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence should be sent until appropriate international consultations have taken place. The procedures for such consultations will be the subject of a separate agreement, declaration or arrangement.
- The SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, in coordination with Commission 51 of the International Astronomical Union, will conduct a continuing review of procedures for the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence and the subsequent handling of the data. Should credible evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence be discovered, an international committee of scientists and other experts should be established to serve as a focal point for continuing analysis of all observational evidence collected in the aftermath of the discovery, and also to provide advice on the release of information to the public. This committee should be constituted from representatives of each of the international institutions listed above and such other members as the committee may deem necessary. To facilitate the convocation of such a committee at some unknown time in the future, the SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics should initiate and maintain a current list of willing representatives from each of the international institutions listed above, as well as other individuals with relevant skills, and should make that list continuously available through the Secretariat of the International Academy of Astronautics. The International Academy of Astronautics will act as the Depository for this declaration and will annually provide a current list of parties to all the parties to this declaration.
In other words - no secrecy.
 | A solar nebula (shown above) produced our solar system.
Credit: NASA |
That may sound like a no-brainer, but in the past some astronomical discoveries have been kept secret, at least for a while. When pulsars were first found by English astronomers in 1967, there was confusion about what they were. Initially dubbing their discovery LGMs, for Little Green Men, the astronomers considered, semi-seriously, that they might have tripped upon alien broadcasts. Months passed, and only when it became clear that a natural explanation for the pulsing signals was in the offing did the astronomers make their find public.
The declaration makes it clear that, in the case of a real LGM signal, the world should be told. This not only makes sense, but in fact can't happen any other way. X-Files' Agent Mulder might be able to keep his investigations under wraps, but SETI research is as open as the Great Plains.
If the astronomers hear a signal, you'll be hearing from the astronomers.
Related Web Pages
SETI Institute
Drake Equation Revisited: Part I
The Search for Distant Earths
Extrasolar Planets with Earth-like Orbits
Are We Alone? Where Are Our Nearest Neighbors?
SETI and the Search for Life
Note: Big Ears
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