| Speaker: |
A.G. de Bruyn (ASTRON, Dwingeloo and Kapteyn Institute Groningen)) |
| Title: |
LOFAR - a major new low frequency observatory: science drivers, challenges and some pilot facility results |
| Date (JST): |
Tue, Feb 24, 2009, 13:30 - 14:30 |
| Place: |
Room 633, 6th floor, General Research Building |
| Related File: |
4.pdf
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| Abstract: |
The LOFAR array will image the sky at frequencies from 20-80 MHz and from 115-240 MHz. The array is centered in the northern part of the Netherlands but will eventually stretch out all over Europe, providing sub-arcsecond angular resolution at meter wavelengths. At these frequencies it will therefore exceed the sensitivity and angular resolution of previous/existing arrays by about 1-2 orders of magnitude. I will review the main scientific astrophysical drivers such as: transients and Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays radio flashes, galaxy haloes, clusters and Large Scale Structure shocks, cosmic magnetic fields and redshifted HI from the Epoch of Reionization. LOFAR will also permit novel studies of the interplanetary medium and various Solar system objects. Finally, I will address some of the technical and computational challenges and present recent results from several prototype facilities.
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