Mark LaPedus
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A key program at the SETI Institute is running out of money.
SETI is a non-profit corporation. ''It is an effort to detect evidence of technological civilizations that may exist elsewhere in the universe, particularly in our galaxy,'' according to the Mountain View, Calif.-based organization.
To find UFOs or signs of life in the universe, SETI uses the so-called Allen Telescope Array (ATA). The ATA is an array of antennas which can be used for SETI and radio astronomy research. SETI has yet to receive a confirmed, extraterrestrial signal.
''The ATA faces some serious challenges,'' warned Tom Pierson, CEO of the SETI Institute, in a letter. ''The ATA has been placed into hibernation due to funding shortfalls for operations of the Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) where the ATA is located.''
The ATA is a partnership between the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronomy Lab of the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, is said to have provided funding.
''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,'' he said in the letter.
''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,'' he added.
SETI is seeking donor support in order to resume operations.
The ATA has bore some fruit. ''The first image taken by the 42-antenna Allen Telescope Array (found) the atomic hydrogen in the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31 or M31), the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way,'' according to SETI.
''The ATA is part of a new trend in radio astronomy. Rather than a single large dish, it is an array of a large number of small dishes (LNSD),'' according to SETI. ''Over time, with sufficient funding, the ATA will grow to 350 dishes. The ATA-350 will have sensitivity comparable to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Robert C. Byrd Telescope and Very Large Array, with survey and imaging capabilities complementing both.''
Fonte: http://www.eetimes.com
Non ci sono più soldi perciò SETI interrompe la ricerca degli alieni
SETI@home, il software per il calcolo distribuito, ha cessato di funzionare. Passato a BOINC nel 2005 il client per aiutare il Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute non riceverà più alcuna unità di lavoro per collaborare alla ricerca degli alieni. L’istituto non avrà più finanziamenti per continuare il progetto.
Il governo statunitense ha tagliato i fondi a SETI Institute e University of California - Berkeley, l’ente deputato alla realizzazione del software di SETI@home, bloccando l’attività dell’Allen Telescope Array (ATA) e sospendendo a tempo indeterminato le attività di ricerca degli alieni. Ma non tutte le attività saranno interrotte.
Il SETI Institute non è destinato a chiudere e altre applicazioni, come setiQuest Explorer, continuano a funzionare regolarmente. Il progetto di ricerca alle spalle del software ha un costo di $1.5 milioni all’anno: l’unica speranza sembra essere nelle donazioni dei privati. SETI@home è stato anche un “prototipo” di social network.
Fonte: http://www.downloadblog.it
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