English

Dual-Backend Multibeam Position Switching Targeted SETI Observations toward Nearby Active Planet-Hosting Systems with FAST

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics 2026-01-19 v3 Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Abstract

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, lists the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) as one of its key scientific objectives. In this work, we present a targeted SETI observation for 7 nearby active stars utilizing the FAST L-band multibeam receiver, employing a observational strategy that combines position switching with multibeam tracking to balance on-source integration time with the accuracy of the beam response. Using both pulsar and SETI backends, we perform a comprehensive search for narrowband drifting signals with Doppler drift rates within diversified drift rate ranges and channel-width periodic signal with periods between 0.12 and 100 s and duty cycles between 10% and 50%. No credible radio technosignatures were detected from any of the target systems. Based on this null result, we place constraints on the presence of transmitters at a 95% confidence level, ruling out narrowband transmitters with with EIRP above 3.98×108W3.98\times10^8 \,\mathrm{W} and periodic transmitter with EIRP above 1.80×1010W1.80\times10^{10} \,\mathrm{W},respectively, within the observation band.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.09654,
  title  = {Dual-Backend Multibeam Position Switching Targeted SETI Observations toward Nearby Active Planet-Hosting Systems with FAST},
  author = {Jian-Kang Li and Zhen-Zhao Tao and Pei Wang and Tong-Jie Zhang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.09654},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

31 pages, 18 figures, 7 tables, published in AJ on Jan 9, 2026