The search for exoplanetary radio emission: Jupiter as an exoplanet

Abstract : In the solar system, the magnetized planets are strong radio emitters, the strongest emission being that generated at Jupiter. Theoretical studies suggest that the radio emission from nearby exoplanets could reach intensity levels 3-6 orders of magnitude higher than Jupiter's emission. Several campaigns have been led to search for this emission, but no confirmed detection has yet been reported. Published upper limits are usually based on the theoretical sensitivity of the radio telescope and do not take into account the sporadic nature of the emission. In this paper, we use the radio emission from Jupiter, scale it down in intensity, and determine at what intensity our detection pipeline can still detect the emission. With this method, we can determine the sensitivity of a given telescope and observation setup for a realistic situation.