LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray
Van Haarlem MP, Wise MW, Gunst AW, Heald G, Mckean JP, Hessels JWT, De Bruyn AG, Nijboer R, Swinbank J, Fallows R, Brentjens M, Nelles A, Beck R, Falcke H, Fender R, Horandel J, Koopmans LVE, Mann G, Miley G, Rottgering H, Stappers BW, Wijers RAMJ, Zaroubi S, Van Den Akker M, Alexov A, Anderson J, Anderson K, Van Ardenne A, Arts M, Asgekar A, Avruch IM, Batejat F, Bahren L, Bell ME, Bell MR, Van Bemmel I, Bennema P, Bentum MJ, Bernardi G, Best P, Birzan L, Bonafede A, Boonstra AJ, Braun R, Bregman J, Breitling F, Van De Brink RH, Broderick J, Broekema PC, Brouw WN, Brueggen M, Butcher HR, Van Cappellen W, Ciardi B, Coenen T, Conway J, Coolen A, Corstanje A, Damstra S, Davies O, Deller AT, Dettmar RJ, Van Diepen G, Dijkstra K, Donker P, Doorduin A, Dromer J, Drost M, Van Duin A, Eisloeffel J, Van Enst J, Ferrari C, Frieswijk W, Gankema H, Garrett MA, De Gasparin F, Gerbers M, De Geus E, Griessmeier JM, Grit T, Gruppen P, Hamaker JP, Hassall T, Hoeft M, Holties HA, Horneffer A, Van Der Horst A, Van Houwelingen A, Huijgen A, Iacobelli M, Intema H, Jackson N, Jelic V, De Jong A, Kant D, Karastergiou A, Koers A, Kollen H, Kondratiev VI, Kooistra E, Koopman Y, Koster A, Kuniyoshi M, Kramer M, Kuper G, Lambropoulos P, Law C, Van Leeuwen J, Lemaitre J, Loose M, Maat P, Macario G, Markoff S, Masters J, Mcfadden RA, Mckay-Bukowski D, Meijering H, Meulman H, Mevius M, Millenaar R, Miller-Jones JCA, Mohan RN, Mol JD, Morawietz J, Morganti R, Mulcahy DD, Mulder E, Munk H, Nieuwenhuis L, Van Nieuwpoort R, Noordam JE, Norden M, Noutsos A, Offringa AR, Olofsson H, Omar A, Orru E, Overeem R, Paas H, Pandey-Pommier M, Pandey VN, Pizzo R, Polatidis A, Rafferty D, Rawlings S, Reich W, De Reijer JP, Reitsma J, Renting GA, Riemers P, Rol E, Romein JW, Roosjen J, Ruiter M, Scaife A, Van Der Schaaf K, Scheers B, Schellart P, Schoenmakers A, Schoonderbeek G, Serylak M, Shulevski A, Sluman J, Smirnov O, Sobey C, Spreeuw H, Steinmetz M, Sterks CGM, Stiepel HJ, Stuurwold K, Tagger M, Tang Y, Tasse C, Thomas I, Thoudam S, Toribio MC, Van Der Tol B, Usov O, Van Veelen M, Van Der Veen AJ, Ter Veen S, Verbiest JPW, Vermeulen R, Vermaas N, Vocks C, Vogt C, De Vos M, Van Der Wal E, Van Weeren R, Weggemans H, Weltevrede P, White S, Wijnholds SJ, Wilhelmsson T, Wucknitz O, Yatawatta S, Zarka P, Zensus A, Van Zwieten J (2013)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2013
Journal
Publisher: EDP SCIENCES S A
Book Volume: 556
Article Number: ARTN A2
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220873
Abstract
LOFAR, the LOw-Frequency ARray, is a new-generation radio interferometer constructed in the north of the Netherlands and across europe. Utilizing a novel phased-array design, LOFAR covers the largely unexplored low-frequency range from 10-240 MHz and provides a number of unique observing capabilities. Spreading out from a core located near the village of Exloo in the northeast of the Netherlands, a total of 40 LOFAR stations are nearing completion. A further five stations have been deployed throughout Germany, and one station has been built in each of France, Sweden, and the UK. Digital beam-forming techniques make the LOFAR system agile and allow for rapid repointing of the telescope as well as the potential for multiple simultaneous observations. With its dense core array and long interferometric baselines, LOFAR achieves unparalleled sensitivity and angular resolution in the low-frequency radio regime. The LOFAR facilities are jointly operated by the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation, as an observatory open to the global astronomical community. LOFAR is one of the first radio observatories to feature automated processing pipelines to deliver fully calibrated science products to its user community. LOFAR's new capabilities, techniques and modus operandi make it an important pathfinder for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We give an overview of the LOFAR instrument, its major hardware and software components, and the core science objectives that have driven its design. In addition, we present a selection of new results from the commissioning phase of this new radio observatory.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
Netherlands (NL)
Radboud University Nijmegen
Netherlands (NL)
Netherlands (NL)
Radboud University Nijmegen
Netherlands (NL)
How to cite
APA:
Van Haarlem, M.P., Wise, M.W., Gunst, A.W., Heald, G., Mckean, J.P., Hessels, J.W.T.,... Van Zwieten, J. (2013). LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 556. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201220873
MLA:
Van Haarlem, M. P., et al. "LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray." Astronomy & Astrophysics 556 (2013).
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