Periodic Spectral Modulations Arise from Non-random Spacing of Spectral Absorption Lines

Abstract

In recent publications, Borra (2013); Borra & Trottier (2016); Borra (2017) claimed the discovery of ultra-short ($10^{-12}$s) optical pulses originating from stars and galaxies, asserted to be sent by extraterrestrial intelligence. I show that these signals are not astrophysical or instrumental in nature, but originate from the non-random spacings of spectral absorption lines. They can be shown to arise in their clearest form in synthetic solar spectra, as these do not suffer from noise.

arXiv commentAccepted to PASP

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