The flight of civil and military radar reveals our existence to extraterrestrial civilizations, suggests the study
In a new study, a team of researchers from the University of Manchester has carried out complete simulations of the radar systems of the earth as potential technosignities detectable by extraterrestrial observers. While SETI traditionally focuses on deliberate transmissions, scientists have examined the involuntary electromagnetic leaks of civil airport radars and military radar systems. These technologies, essential to any advanced civilization infrastructure, produce significant radio emissions which can be detectable on interstellar distances. The authors have analyzed how the global distribution of radar installations affects the temporal structure of the earth’s radio signature when observed from six specific stellar systems: Barnard Star, HD 48948, HD 40307, in Microscopii, HD 216520 and LHS 475. Their results reveal distinct diagrams for the Radio Strategies Seti. The results suggest that radar systems represent among the most detectable involuntary technosigenatures of technological civilizations, offering a promising avenue for the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence.
SAIDE RAMIRO and al. Explored how the hidden electromagnetic leaks could turn to extraterrestrials up to 200 light years from the earth, if they had advanced radiotelescopes like ours. Image credit: Gemini AI.
“We have found that airport radar systems, which sweep the sky of planes, send a 2 * 10 combined radio signal15 Watts, enough to be picked up up to 200 light years by telescopes comparable to the Green Bank telescope in West Virginia, “said the doctorate student at Manchester University, Ramiro Caisse Saide and his colleagues.
“To put this distance in context, the potentially habitable world closest beyond our solar system is Proxima Centauri B, which is 4 light years.”
“It would always take a spacecraft using current technology for thousands of years to get there.”
The military radar systems, which are more concentrated and directional, create a unique pattern – like a lighthouse beam that sweeps the sky – have an accumulated cutting edge reaching approximately 1 * 1014 Watts in a given field of vision of the observer.
“It would seem clearly artificial to all those who look at interstellar distances with powerful radio stakes,” said Caisse Saide.
“In fact, these military signals can appear up to a hundred times stronger from certain points in space, depending on the place where an observer is.”
“Our results suggest that radar signals – involuntarily produced by any planet with advanced technology and a complex aviation system – could act as a universal sign of intelligent life.”
Research helps not only guide the search for extraterrestrial civilizations by identifying promising technosignities, but also deepens our understanding of how human technology can be seen in space.
“By learning how our signals travel in space, we get valuable information about how to protect the radio spectrum for communications and the design of future radar systems,” said Professor of the University of Manchester, Michael Garrett.
“The methods developed for the modeling and detection of these weak signals can also be used in astronomy, planetary defense and even to monitor the impact of human technology on our space environment.”
“In this way, our work supports both the scientific quest to answer the question” Are we alone? ” And practical efforts to manage the influence of technology on our world and beyond, ”said Caisse Saide.
The researchers presented their results today at National meeting of astronomy of the Royal Astronomical Society 2025 In Durham, the United Kingdom.
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SAIDE RAMIRO and al. Examine the leaks of civil and military radar from the airport as a detectable marker for extraterrestrial civilizations. NAM 2025
