[net.physics] Radiation from Power Grids as Signals of ETI

JOSH%YKTVMH.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (07/25/85)

From:  Josh Knight  <JOSH%YKTVMH.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA>

I don't remember right now, but I think the "noise" from sources other
than Extra Terrestrial power grids is large.  Also, I don't think that
the radiation from power grids gets out..sort of rattles around inside
the ionosphere.  There are VLF (very low frequency) and ELF (extremely
LF) and ULF (ultra LF... EULF??) pulsations that propagate in the
magnetosphere, but I think that the radiation apparent from the earth
in the range from a few Hz to a few tens of Hz is more likely to be
characteristic of processes in magnetosphere, radiation belts and
solar wind than the power grid.  I seem to remember that the power
grid stuff has magnetospheric effects that can be detected but I
don't know the singal to noise or if the detections were well accepted
experimental results or isolated observations.  Adj. Prof. Sidney
Self at Stanford U. is/used to be an expert on such things.
Of course, any opinions, expressed or implied are mine and not my
employers...

			Josh Knight
			IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
josh@yktvmh.BITNET,  josh.yktvmh.ibm-sj@csnet-relay.ARPA