LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray
M. P. van Haarlem(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. W. Wise(University of Amsterdam), A. W. Gunst(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), G. Heald(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. P. McKean(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. W. T. Hessels(University of Amsterdam), A. G. de Bruyn(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), R. Nijboer(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Swinbank(University of Amsterdam), R. A. Fallows(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. A. Brentjens(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Nelles(Radboud University Nijmegen), R. Beck(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), H. Falcke(Radboud University Nijmegen), R. P. Fender(University of Southampton), J.R. Hörandel(Radboud University Nijmegen), L. V. E. Koopmans, G. Mann(Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam), G. K. Miley(Leiden University), H. J. A. Röttgering(Leiden University), B. W. Stappers(University of Manchester), R. A. M. J. Wijers(University of Amsterdam), Saleem Zaroubi, M. van den Akker(Radboud University Nijmegen), A. Alexov(University of Amsterdam), J. M. Anderson(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), Kevin D. Anderson(University of Amsterdam), A. van Ardenne(Chalmers University of Technology), M. Arts(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Asgekar(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), I. M. Avruch(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), F. Batejat(Chalmers University of Technology), L. Bähren(University of Amsterdam), M. E. Bell(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), M. R. Bell(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), Ilse van Bemmel(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Bennema(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Mark Bentum(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), G. Bernardi, P. N. Best(Royal Observatory), L. Bırzan(Leiden University), A. Bonafede(Constructor University), Albert‐Jan Boonstra(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Róbert Braun(Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Joel N. Bregman(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), F. Breitling(Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam), R. H. van de Brink(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. W. Broderick(University of Southampton), P. Chris Broekema(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), W. N. Brouw(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Brüggen(Universität Hamburg), H. R. Butcher(Australian National University), W. van Cappellen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), B. Ciardi(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), Thijs Coenen(University of Amsterdam), J. E. Conway(Chalmers University of Technology), A. H. W. M. Coolen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Corstanje(Radboud University Nijmegen), S. Damstra(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), O.T. Davies(Rutherford Appleton Laboratory), Adam T. Deller(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), R.‐J. Dettmar(Ruhr University Bochum), Ger van Diepen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), K. Dijkstra(University of Groningen), P. Donker(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Doorduin(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Dromer(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Drost(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. van Duin(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Eislöffel(Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg), J. van Enst(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), C. Ferrari(Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur), W. Frieswijk(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Henk S. GANKEMA, M. A. Garrett(Leiden University), F. de Gasperin(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), M. Gerbers(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. de Geus(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J.‐M. Grießmeier(Université d'Orléans), T. Grit(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Gruppen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. P. Hamaker(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), T. E. Hassall(University of Manchester), M. Hoeft(Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg), H. A. Holties(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Horneffer(Radboud University Nijmegen), A. J. van der Horst(University of Amsterdam), A. van Houwelingen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Huijgen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Iacobelli(Leiden University), H. T. Intema(Leiden University), N. Jackson(University of Manchester), Vibor Jelić(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. de Jong(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. Juette(Ruhr University Bochum), D. Kant(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Karastergiou(University of Oxford), A. Koers(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), H. Kollen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), V. I. Kondratiev(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. Kooistra(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Y. Koopman(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Koster(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Kuniyoshi(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Krämer(University of Manchester), G. Küper(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Lambropoulos(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Casey Law(University of Amsterdam), J. van Leeuwen(University of Amsterdam), Jérôme Lemaitre(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Loose(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Maat(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), G. Macario(Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur), Sera Markoff(University of Amsterdam), J. Masters(National Radio Astronomy Observatory), R. McFadden(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), D. McKay‐Bukowski(Rutherford Appleton Laboratory), H. Meijering(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), H. Meulman(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Mevius, E. Middelberg(Ruhr University Bochum), Rob Millenaar(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. C. A. Miller‐Jones(Curtin University), Rengarajan Mohan(Leiden University), Jan David Mol(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Morawietz(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Raffaella Morganti(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), D. D. Mulcahy(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. Mulder(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), H. Munk(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Lambert J. M. Nieuwenhuis(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Rob V. van Nieuwpoort(Netherlands eScience Center), J. E. Noordam(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. J. Norden(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. Noutsos(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. R. Offringa, H. Olofsson(Chalmers University of Technology), Amitesh Omar(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. Orrú(Radboud University Nijmegen), R. Overeem(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), H. Paas(University of Groningen), M. Pandey-Pommier(Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), V. N. Pandey, R. Pizzo(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A. G. Polatidis(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), D. A. Rafferty(Leiden University), Steve Rawlings(University of Oxford), W. Reich(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), J.-P. de Reijer(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Reitsma(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), G. A. Renting(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Riemers(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), E. Rol(University of Amsterdam), John W. Romein(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. Roosjen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Ruiter(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Anna M. M. Scaife(University of Southampton), K. van der Schaaf(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), B. Scheers(Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica), P. Schellart(Radboud University Nijmegen), A. P. Schoenmakers(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), G. Schoonderbeek(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Serylak(Université d'Orléans), A. Shulevski, J. Sluman(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), O. Smirnov(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), C. Sobey(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), Hanno Spreeuw(University of Amsterdam), Matthias Steinmetz(Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam), C. G. M. Sterks(University of Groningen), H.-J. Stiepel(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), K. J. C. Stuurwold(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. Tagger(Université d'Orléans), Y. Tang(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), C. Tasse(Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Ian Thomas(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), S. Thoudam(Radboud University Nijmegen), M. C. Toribio(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Bas van der Tol(Leiden University), O. Usov(Leiden University), Martijn van Veelen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), A.-J. van der Veen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), S. ter Veen(Radboud University Nijmegen), J. P. W. Verbiest(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), R. C. Vermeulen(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), N. J. Vermaas(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), C. Vocks(Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam), C. Vogt(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), M. de Vos(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), Erik van der Wal(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), R. J. van Weeren(Leiden University), H. Weggemans(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), P. Weltevrede(University of Manchester), S. M. White(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), S. J. Wijnholds(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy), T. Wilhelmsson(Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics), O. Wucknitz(University of Bonn), S. Yatawatta, P. Zarka(Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), J. A. Zensus(Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), J. van Zwieten(Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy)
Cited by 2,667Open Access
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.
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