LOFAR-UK White Paper: A Science case for UK involvement in LOFAR

摘要

LOFAR, the Low-Frequency Array, is a next-generation software-driven radiotelescope operating between 30 and 240MHz, currently under construction byASTRON in the Netherlands. This low frequency radio band is one of the fewlargely unexplored regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The sensitivity andangular resolution offered by LOFAR will be two to three orders of magnitudebetter than existing telescopes, and as such it will open up this new window onthe Universe. LOFAR will impact on a broad range of astrophysics, fromcosmology to solar system studies. There is growing European involvement in LOFAR, driven by the need to addstations far from the main core in order to improve angular resolution.LOFAR-UK is a project aimed at cementing UK participation in LOFAR via theoperation of four stations within the UK. LOFAR-UK ground stations will allowLOFAR observations to reach sub-arcsecond scales at the highest frequencies,and as a result will also improve the (confusion-limited) sensitivity limit ofthe telescope for deep surveys. LOFAR-UK will achieve involvement for UK astronomers in a world-leadingscience facility operating in the immediate future. It will allow the UK tobuild up important scientific and technical expertise in `next generation'radio astronomy in preparation for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), and willplay an important role in broadening the UK community that has an interest inradio astronomy. This White Paper outlines the strategic importance to the UKastronomy community of gaining involvement in the LOFAR project, the scientificinterests of UK researchers in using the telescope, and the technicalchallenges that will need to be overcome [abridged].