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Data Analysis Pipeline: Python Code Concepts for Signal Detection and Verification

DATA ANALYSIS PIPELINE

PYTHON ANALYSIS (NumPy + SciPy)

Step A: Load raw IQ data from RTL-SDR recording

import numpy as np
iq = np.fromfile("sirius_recording.raw",
dtype=np.complex64)

Step B: High-resolution FFT

from scipy.signal import welch
# Use very long segments for Hz-level resolution
f, Pxx = welch(iq, fs=2.4e6, nperseg=2**24,
noverlap=2**23)
# This gives ~0.14Hz resolution

Step C: Extract ±100Hz around hydrogen line

center_idx = np.argmin(abs(f - 1420.405e6))
window = slice(center_idx - 700, center_idx + 700)
f_zoom = f[window]
P_zoom = Pxx[window]

Step D: Search for Schumann sidebands

schumann = [7.83, 14.3, 20.8, 27.3, 33.8]
for sr_freq in schumann:
# Check for peaks at ± sr_freq from center
idx_pos = np.argmin(abs(f_zoom - (center + sr_freq)))
idx_neg = np.argmin(abs(f_zoom - (center - sr_freq)))
# Compare peak power to local noise floor
snr_pos = P_zoom[idx_pos] / np.median(P_zoom)
snr_neg = P_zoom[idx_neg] / np.median(P_zoom)

Step E: Statistical significance

If SNR > 3 at ANY Schumann sideband: interesting.
If SNR > 3 at MULTIPLE sidebands: very interesting.
If SNR > 5 at evenly-spaced intervals: detection.

VERIFICATION CHECKLIST

□ Signal present ON-source (Sirius) only? □ Signal absent when pointed at blank sky? □ Sidebands evenly spaced at ~7.83Hz? □ Sidebands narrower than 1Hz bandwidth? □ Signal shows Doppler drift consistent with

Earth rotation + Sirius proper motion?

□ Signal repeats on multiple observation nights? □ Signal NOT correlated with local RFI? □ Signal NOT correlated with satellite passes?

IF ALL BOXES CHECKED:

Contact SETI Institute or Breakthrough Listen.
This would be the most important detection
in human history.

IF NO SIGNAL FOUND:

Doesn't disprove the theory.
Our RTL-SDR has limited sensitivity.
Signal may be below our noise floor.
Professional telescopes (ALMA, VLA, SKA)
would need to follow up with 10,000× more
sensitivity. But we will have demonstrated
the METHOD and the FREQUENCY PREDICTION.

Submitted by Engineering Design — Detector Build June 06, 2026

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Data Analysis Pipeline: Python Code Concepts for Signal Detection and Verification