Future systems for intercepting alien lasers

Abstract

In order to design a system that solves the directionality problem, we must estimate the number of star systems we would examine over some reasonable time period. To arrive at an estimate, we must first decide the maximum radius of our search volume in light-years (for this first go-around at least). If we are dealing with distances up to 1,000 light-years, using estimates by Margaret Turnbull and others and the many constraining factors discussed by Frank Drake and Stephen Webb, we can expect at most 40,000 likely candidates of the approximately 8 million stars within this radius. The critical issue is the time required to cycle through the list.