The SETI programs in Korea: Progress report

We have recently launched a couple of SETI projects as a part of main events for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) in Korea. First, we have developed computer algorithms to detect very short time scale transient events from Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) raw data. We have done Monte Carlo simulations with artificial data mimicking 22GHz VLBI raw data to test the detection efficiency of the algorithms. The artificial data sets and our computer algorithms have been used for test runs with the distributed computing platform Korea@Home. We plan to implement final version of the algorithms to the Korea@Home platform for distributed computing with real VLBI raw data. The 22 and 43GHz VLBI raw data sets will be provided by the Korean VLBI Network (KVN). This SETI KOREA@HOME project will be launched in the middle of October, 2009. The SETI KOREA SOCIETY will also be initiated at the same time to manage this project and others. Second, the 7m public radio telescope has been constructed at the Gwacheon National Science Museum for educational purpose. It is equipped with one million channel SETI spectrometer. This radio telescope system will be used mainly for 22GHz all sky SETI survey and for targeting observations of the selected stars with known planets. It is scheduled to open to the public in 2010. Third, as a part of the IYA2009 projects, the 3-day workshop focusing mainly on SETI science for Science Fiction (SF) writers has been held at the Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory and the KVN Yonsei Radio Astronomy Observatory. Similar workshop for cartoonists has also been held. The homepage of the SETI KOREA SOCIETY which would be the online center for the SETI education and public outreach activities will be opened in the middle of October, 2009. We report the current status of the Korean SETI projects (i.e., PROJECT SETI KOREA) in this paper.