<p>If aliens did exist, they would probably compress their communications. And they might use a fault tolerant infrastructure like TCP/IP. In either scenario, real communications would not be periodic but closer to random noise. Has anyone performed a Zipf plot or calculated shannon entropy of non-periodic radio signals?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-27T16:34:58.033Z
What research have you done on this question? Even a quick google finds papers.
Anders Sandberg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-27T17:23:00.850Z
Did you look at the seti project?
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-28T22:42:14.083Z
Almost all the data use narrow band signals. When we use fiber for maximum throughput, we developed frequency ,multiplexed and time multiplexed strategies. CDMA and GSM allow multiple users over a spread of frequencies. If intelligent life was communicating, they would look to use similar cost saving features. As for sending out a periodic analog signal, why would any alien pay for that? What's the ROI for pissing into space?
aquagremlin
<radio-astronomy><seti>
Have non-periodic radio signals been analyzed for shannon entropy or put on a Zipf plot?
aquagremlin
# Have non-periodic radio signals been analyzed for shannon entropy or put on a Zipf plot?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-27)

If aliens did exist, they would probably compress their communications. And they might use a fault tolerant infrastructure like TCP/IP. In either scenario, real communications would not be periodic but closer to random noise. Has anyone performed a Zipf plot or calculated shannon entropy of non-periodic radio signals?

**Tags:** radio-astronomy, seti

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What research have you done on this question? Even a quick google finds papers.  
> **username_2**: Did you look at the seti project?  
> **username_0**: Almost all the data use narrow band signals. When we use fiber for maximum throughput, we developed frequency ,multiplexed and time multiplexed strategies. CDMA and GSM allow multiple users over a spread of frequencies. If intelligent life was communicating, they would look to use similar cost saving features. As for sending out a periodic analog signal, why would any alien pay for that? What's the ROI for pissing into space?  

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## 0 answers

