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Expanding the UK's Radio Astronomy Community with LOFAR: Progress and Future Prospects

The LOFAR-UK initiative, established in 2004, has significantly broadened the UK's radio astronomy landscape with over 75% of UK astronomers involved. Managed by key institutions like Southampton and Oxford, LOFAR supports critical scientific investigations, including the detection of the Epoch of Reionization signal and the study of astrophysical phenomena. With Chilbolton as its first station, additional funding is sought to establish further stations and enhance research capabilities in alignment with the SKA strategy. Join us in exploring the synergies and future developments of this vibrant radio community.

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Expanding the UK's Radio Astronomy Community with LOFAR: Progress and Future Prospects

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  1. LOFAR UK Rob Fender

  2. LOFAR-UK [est. 2004] www.lofar-uk.org Management committee formed based on internal MoU P.I. Fender (Southampton) Co-P.I. Rawlings (Oxford) Current membership (22 institutions): Southampton, Oxford, Cambridge, Portsmouth, RAL, Manchester, Hertfordshire, Edinburgh, Durham, LJMU, Glasgow, UCL, Cardiff, The Open University, ATC, Aberystwyth, Sussex, Kent, QMUL, Sheffield, Leicester Potential additional members: Nottingham, Warwick  More than 75% of all UK astronomers are effectively signed up – LOFAR(-UK) has dramatically widened the UK radio community – need to keep this alive for SKA

  3. LOFAR:UK Possible station sites and relation to LOFAR Edinburgh: 850 km baseline Jodrell: 650 km baseline (U. Man land, e-MERLIN fibre) Lords Bridge: 450 km baseline (U. Camb land, e-MERLIN fibre) Chilbolton: 600 km baseline (RAL land, to be fibred)

  4. NL + 3xDE NL + 3xDE + 1xUK NL + 3xDE + 2xUK NL + 3xDE + 3xUK

  5. Chilbolton chosen as first site STFC-owned site First LOFAR-UK station to be installed here 2009 Q2/3 Also has high-quality 25m dish which could be added to e-MERLIN

  6. UK science interests (a subset of…) • Detection of the EoR signal via detection of HI absorption against luminous distant AGN • Star formation and black hole accretion across cosmological time, gravitational lensing • Identify northern component of the Pulsar Timing Array • Identification and study of extragalactic radio bursts, providing probes of the IGM and possible counterparts to gravitational wave sources • Detection of UHE neutrinos (LHC energies x 50!) • Sun-Earth interactions: CME creation and propagation • Origin and distribution of astrophysical magnetic fields

  7. Funding Currently ~1.4 MEuro ‘in the bank’ In addition six ‘LOFAR’ permanent positions funded in South East, and many PDRAs requested (e.g. joint Oxford/RAL position to work on LOFAR ionospheric calibration)  One UK station (Chilbolton) funded Request to STFC for further ~5.5 MEuro Final presentation to funding panel last Friday Evaluation by end November  Up to 3 additional UK stations, 4 FTEs in long-baseline calibration / data products and transport

  8. LOFAR as part of a coordinated UK radio strategy towards SKA 120 MHz 15 GHz e-MERLIN Science with upgraded dishes Now LOFAR The major pathfinder for SKA-low / Broadens community Very Soon PrepSKA Development of SKA-mid aperture arrays ~5 years

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