The Radio Sky: LOFAR to SKA

The Radio Sky: LOFAR to SKA

Convenors: Rainer Beck (MPIfR) and Olaf Wucknitz (AIfA)

The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) is a new-generation radio telescope for low frequencies (10-240 MHz). It is under construction in the Netherlands, Germany and other European countries (see www.lofar.org and www.lofar.de) and already started to deliver excellent data on pulsars and radio galaxies. Exciting results can also be expected from signals from the Epoch of Reonization, synchrotron emission from galaxy halos and galaxy clusters and from solar flares. The all-sky monitoring capabilites of LOFAR will allow to detect radio signals from cosmic rays and from "transient sources" of still unknown origin.

The planned Square Kilometer Array (SKA) will cover almost the full radio window, from 70 MHz to 35 GHz. Its construction should start on 2016 (see www.skatelescope.org and www.scholarpedia.org). Its sensitivity and technology will revolutionize radio astronomy. The science projects cover a wide field of fundamental topics, from the formation and evolution of galaxies and the first black holes, to detection of gravitational waves and tests of gravitation theories with pulsars, the origin of cosmic magnetism, and the formation of protoplanetary disks.

This Splinter workshop will inform about the technical status and the science projects of both telescopes. First results from LOFAR will be presented. Short contributions are welcome.

Reviews and invited talks:

Status of LOFAR Ger de Bruyn
GLOW activities James Anderson
Surveys with LOFAR Huub Röttgering
Magnetism Marijke Haverkorn
Sun and space weather Christian Vocks
Pulsars Michael Kramer
AGNs Andrei Lobanov
EoR Ger de Bruyn
Go to Editor View