SETI-ITALIA 2008: On-going searches and future prospects

Abstract: The Medicina Radioastronomical Station is located nearby Bologna, in Italy. It consists of two receiving antennas currently dedicated to the astronomical research at radio frequencies. The 32m diameter parabolic dish performs observations from 1.4 to 22GHz whereas the Northern Cross (a 30.000m2 wide T-shaped array transit antenna) works at 408MHz. So far SETI observations have been performed using a SERENDIP IV high resolution spectrometer connected to the parabolic antenna. Data acquisition were performed meanwhile the antenna was employed in ordinary astronomical observations (piggy-back mode). An innovative method to search for possible extraterrestrial signals could be provided by using the UHF Northern Cross transit telescope. In this paper observational modalities and the required technological set-up are investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]