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Advancing UK Radio Astronomy with LOFAR:UK

LOFAR-UK, established in 2004, is a collaborative project involving 22 institutions to widen the UK radio astronomy community. The project aims to expand to three additional UK stations and enhance long-baseline calibration for SKA. With current funding and support, LOFAR-UK contributes to various scientific interests and serves as a vital pathfinder for SKA. Stay updated on our progress at www.lofar-uk.org.

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Advancing UK Radio Astronomy with LOFAR:UK

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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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