LOFAR, a new low frequency radio telescope

Abstract

LOFAR, the Low Frequency Array, is a large radio telescope consisting of approximately 100 soccer-field sized antenna stations spread over a region of 400 km in diameter. It will operate at frequencies from ~10 to 240 MHz, with a resolution at 240 MHz of better than an arcsecond. Its superb sensitivity will allow for studies of a broad range of astrophysical topics, including reionisation, transient radio sources and cosmic rays, distant galaxies and AGNs. In this contribution a status rapport of the LOFAR project and an overview of the science case is presented.Comment: 6 Pages, including 1 postScript figure. To appear in the proceedings of the conference "Radio Galaxies: Past, present and future", Leiden, 11-15 Nov 200