[2607.12106] The Interstellar Laser Beacons Hypothesis and the Cosmic Lighthouses Project

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Astrophysics > Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

arXiv:2607.12106 (astro-ph)

[Submitted on 13 Jul 2026]

Title:The Interstellar Laser Beacons Hypothesis and the Cosmic Lighthouses Project

Authors:Daniel Apai, Chia-Lung Lin, Kevin Wagner<br>View a PDF of the paper titled The Interstellar Laser Beacons Hypothesis and the Cosmic Lighthouses Project, by Daniel Apai and 2 other authors

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Abstract:In this paper, we argue that in a realistic, resource-limited scenario senders whose intent is to maximize successful communication at the lowest cost will utilize very long-lived, pulsed beacons. Further, we argue that mass-producible laser beacons with simpler technology ($\mu$s or ms pulses instead of ultrashort fs pulses) are more optimal if placed on interstellar orbits. Our extensive, existing surveys are mostly blind to the $\mu$s/ms-second universe and to such beacons. We show, however, that the convergence of three technologies (massively parallel processing, ultra high-speed CMOS detectors, and broadband, mass-producible diffractive-refractive lenses) now offer an exciting opportunity for a low-cost survey of the $\mu$second sky. Such survey would be astrophysically compelling and, with even low-cost telescopes, could place volume-complete constraints on interstellar beacons within twenty parsecss.

Comments:<br>9 pages, 2 figures; Accepted; to appear in the Proceedings of the IAU Symposium 404 "Advancing the Search for Technosignatures"

Subjects:

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)

Cite as:<br>arXiv:2607.12106 [astro-ph.IM]

(or<br>arXiv:2607.12106v1 [astro-ph.IM] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.12106

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arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

Submission history<br>From: Chia-Lung Lin [view email]<br>[v1]<br>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:34:41 UTC (15,190 KB)

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