Panoramic optical and near-infrared SETI instrument: Optical and structural design concepts

Author(s): Maire, J; Wright, SA; Cosens, M; Antonio, FP; Aronson, ML; Chaim-Weismann, SA; Drake, FD; Horowitz, P; Howard, AW; Marcy, GW; Raffanti, R; Siemion, APV; Stone, RPS; Treffers, RR; Uttamchandani, A; Werthimer, D | Abstract: © 2018 SPIE. We propose a novel instrument design to greatly expand the current optical and near-infrared SETI search pa- rameter space by monitoring the entire observable sky during all observable time. This instrument is aimed to search for technosignatures by means of detecting nano- to micro-second light pulses that could have been emitted, for instance, for the purpose of interstellar communications or energy transfer. We present an instru- ment conceptual design based upon an assembly of 198 refracting 0.5-m telescopes tessellating two geodesic domes. This design produces a regular layout of hexagonal collecting apertures that optimizes the instrument footprint, aperture diameter, instrument sensitivity and total field-of-view coverage. We also present the optical performance of some Fresnel lenses envisaged to develop a dedicated panoramic SETI (PANOSETI) observatory that will dramatically increase sky-area searched (pi steradians per dome), wavelength range covered, number of stellar systems observed, interstellar space examined and duration of time monitored with respect to previous optical and near-infrared technosignature finders.