Researchers Aim to Utilize Solar Gravity for Interstellar Communication

Solar gravitational lensing may help us search for life on other planets.

Gravitational lensing occurs when massive objects create ripples and distortions in the fabric of spacetime, causing light to follow those curves, resulting in a magnification effect. Although it may sound like something out of science fiction, gravitational lensing is a crucial tool in astronomy. The James Webb Space Telescope has recently garnered attention for its capability to observe how light bends around massive galaxy clusters, unveiling fainter, more distant galaxies situated behind them.

Now, Slava Turyshev, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, is exploring the possibility of utilizing a gravitational lens closer to home—the sun. In a recent paper published on the pre-print server arXiv, Turyshev delves into the intricate mathematics and physics to demonstrate the feasibility of harnessing the sun’s gravity. The concept involves creating a “solar gravitational lens” (SGL), which could be employed for interstellar communication or the exploration of distant exoplanet surfaces.

“By leveraging the gravitational lensing effect of our star, astronomy would undergo a revolutionary leap in observing capability,” remarks Nick Tusay, a Penn State astronomer unaffiliated with the study. “Light works both ways, so it could also boost our transmitting capability as well, if we had anyone out there to communicate with.”

In the realm of Earth-based telescopes, size matters significantly. To detect faint objects at great distances, large mirrors or lenses are essential, but practical limitations exist in constructing extremely large telescopes. The SGL offers an alternative by relying on the curvature of spacetime influenced by the sun’s gravity to serve as a natural focusing mechanism.

“Using the SGL removes the need to build larger telescopes and instead raises the problem of how to get a telescope out to the focal distance of the Sun (and how to keep it there),” explains Macy Huston, a Berkeley astronomer not involved in the research. “And there’s a lot of work ongoing to try to solve this,” they add.

Turyshev is actively involved in designing a mission to dispatch a one-meter telescope (less than half the size of the renowned Hubble) to the focus of the sun’s gravitational well. This location is situated approximately 650 astronomical units (AU) from our star—almost five times farther than Voyager 1, humanity’s current distance record holder. To cover such an extensive distance within a reasonable timeframe, the team is relying on state-of-the-art solar sail technology to achieve unprecedented speeds.

Presently, the James Webb Space Telescope is focused on scrutinizing the atmospheres of planets orbiting distant stars, while the anticipated launch of the Habitable Worlds Observatory in the 2040s holds the promise of providing detailed insights into exoplanetary atmospheres, potentially revealing signs of life. Turyshev’s proposed mission represents a significant advancement toward confirming the existence of life on other planets, with a targeted launch around 2035. Following the identification of potentially intriguing worlds by the JWST and HWO, the SGL telescope would subsequently embark on the task of intricately mapping the surface of an exoplanet. Turyshev asserts that the telescope could capture images of a planet at a resolution of 700 by 700 pixels—a substantial improvement over the current direct imaging capability, which yields only 2 or 3 pixels. He explains that if there is a specific feature, such as a methane-emitting swamp, on the exoplanet, the telescope would discern its exact location, such as on a particular continent or island.

In a futuristic perspective, this SGL technology could serve not only as a powerful telescope for detailed observation of other planetary systems within our solar system but also as an interstellar communication network for intentional transmissions, according to Huston. By positioning a laser at the sun’s gravitational focus, messages could be sent to other stars with less signal loss compared to our current Earth-based beacon technology.

“If we were to ever become an interstellar civilization, this [SGL] could potentially be the most effective means of communication between star systems,” remarks Tusay. While the technology enables the transmission of messages, it does not address all the challenges associated with interstellar travel. The inability to physically travel to other stars and the considerable time delay in interstellar communications—resembling the delay in sending a letter across the country by horseback rather than instantaneous FaceTiming with friends—are among the persistent hurdles. Tusay emphasizes that light still adheres to a maximum speed, resulting in a time lag corresponding to the distance traveled. Nevertheless, the solar gravitational lens represents a significant stride toward transforming elements of our science fiction aspirations into tangible realities.

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