Observing pulsars and fast transients with LOFAR

Stappers, B. W.; Hessels, J. W. T.; Alexov, A.; Anderson, Kevin D.; Coenen, T.; Hassall, T. E.; Karastergiou, A.; Kondratiev, V. I.; Krämer, M.; Leeuwen, J. van; Mol, Jan David; Noutsos, A.; Romein, John W.; Weltevrede, P.; Fender, R. P.; Wijers, R. A. M. J.; Bähren, L.; Bell, M. E.; Broderick, J. W.; Daw, E. J.; Dhillon, V. S.; Eislöffel, J.; Falcke, H.; Grießmeier, Jean-Mathias; Law, Casey J.; Markoff, Sera; Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Scheers, Bart; Spreeuw, H.; Swinbank, J.; Veen, S. ter; Wise, Michael; Wucknitz, O.; Zarka, Philippe; Anderson, J. M.; Asgekar, A.; Avruch, I. M.; Beck, Rainer; Bennema, P.; Bentum, Mark J.; Best, P. N.; Bregman, J. D.; Brentjens, M. A.; Brink, R. H. van de; Broekema, P. Chris; Brouw, W. N.; Brüggen, M.; Bruyn, A. G. de; Butcher, H. R.; Ciardi, B.; Conway, J.; Dettmar, R.‐J.; Duin, A. van; Enst, J. van; Garrett, M. A.; Gerbers, M.; Grit, T.; Gunst, A. W.; Haarlem, M. P. van; Hamaker, J. P.; Heald, G.; Hoeft, M.; Holties, H. A.; Horneffer, A.; Koopmans, L. V. E.; Küper, G.; Loose, M.; Maat, P.; McKay-Bukowski, D.; McKean, J. P.; Miley, G. K.; Morganti, Raffaella; Nijboer, R.; Noordam, J. E.; Norden, M. J.; Olofsson, H.; Pandey-Pommier, M.; Polatidis, A. G.; Reich, W.; Röttgering, H. J. A.; Schoenmakers, A. P.; Sluman, J.; Smirnov, O.; Steinmetz, Matthias; Sterks, C. G. M.; Tagger, M.; Tang, Y.; Vermeulen, R. C.; Vermaas, N. J.; Vogt, C.; Vos, M. de; Wijnholds, Stefan J.; Yatawatta, S.; Zensus, J. A.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201116681

Cited by 215 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 133 publications

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“…This means that we were able to detect about one third of our periodicity search detections in single-pulse searches of the same data. This is in line with predictions from Stappers et al (2011). Two pulsars, PSRs B0154+61 and B0809+74, were only detected through their individual pulses.…”

Section: Lpps Pulsar Searchsupporting

confidence: 91%

The LOFAR pilot surveys for pulsars and fast radio transients

Coenen

Leeuwen

Hessels

et al. 2014

A&A

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111

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We have conducted two pilot surveys for radio pulsars and fast transients with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) around 140 MHz and here report on the first low-frequency fast-radio burst limit and the discovery of two new pulsars. The first survey, the LOFAR Pilot Pulsar Survey (LPPS), observed a large fraction of the northern sky, ∼1.4 × 10 4 deg 2 , with 1 h dwell times. Each observation covered ∼75 deg 2 using 7 independent fields formed by incoherently summing the high-band antenna fields. The second pilot survey, the LOFAR Tied-Array Survey (LOTAS), spanned ∼600 deg 2 , with roughly a 5-fold increase in sensitivity compared with LPPS. Using a coherent sum of the 6 LOFAR "Superterp" stations, we formed 19 tied-array beams, together covering 4 deg 2 per pointing. From LPPS we derive a limit on the occurrence, at 142 MHz, of dispersed radio bursts of <150 day −1 sky −1 , for bursts brighter than S > 107 Jy for the narrowest searched burst duration of 0.66 ms. In LPPS, we re-detected 65 previously known pulsars. LOTAS discovered two pulsars, the first with LOFAR or any digital aperture array. LOTAS also redetected 27 previously known pulsars. These pilot studies show that LOFAR can efficiently carry out all-sky surveys for pulsars and fast transients, and they set the stage for further surveying efforts using LOFAR and the planned low-frequency component of the Square Kilometer Array.

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Section: Lpps Pulsar Searchsupporting

confidence: 91%

The LOFAR pilot surveys for pulsars and fast radio transients

Coenen

Leeuwen

Hessels

et al. 2014

A&A

Self Cite

111

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“…As discussed above for the SKA, the use of many small elements that are widely distributed means that we need to take advantage of vast computing resources to be able to sample a sufficient fraction of the sky. However, these so-called software telescopes do provide a large and flexible array of observing modes (see, for example, the different beam formed modes for LOFAR described by Stappers et al [8]). …”

Section: Opportune Moment For Radio Transientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Surveys using the all-sky monitor mode of LOFAR and beam formed modes began in 2012 and will be sensitive to transients in the frequency range 30-200 MHz [8,31]. The combination of the sophisticated and powerful LOFAR computing platform, the low observing frequency and the dipole-like receiving elements means that these surveys will revolutionize our understanding of the transient radio sky.…”

Section: The Present and Near Futurementioning

confidence: 99%

The square kilometre array and the transient universe

Stappers

2013

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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The square kilometre array (SKA) is a next generation radio telescope that will be built in southern Africa and Australasia. It will be built in two phases and will use a range of detectors, from aperture arrays to dishes, to span the frequency range from a few tens of megahertz to a few gigahertz. The combination of great sensitivity, wide field of view and unprecedented computing power mean that the SKA will be an excellent instrument for studying the transient radio universe. Transient radio emission is generated in extremes of: gravitational and magnetic fields, velocity, temperature, pressure and density. While we know about plenty of source classes for this type of short duration radio emission, there is still a large range of transient parameter space that has not yet been sampled owing to the limitations of current generation radio telescopes.

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“…While fast transients still fall under the "exploration of the unknown" heading in SKA science discussions, the present level of activity by several groups -including those associated with the ATA [2] and LOFAR [3] -will grow rapidly the maturity of the field. Such growth is essential in uncovering the richest lodes in parameter space, and in informing technical and investment plans for the SKA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SKA Studies of the Radio Transient Universe

Hall¹,

Colegate²,

Macquart³

et al. 2012

Proceedings of Resolving the Sky - Radio Interferometry: Past, Present and Future — PoS(RTS2012)

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The SKA is likely to produce transformational insights into the fast transient Universe. So little is currently known about this observational window that much of the SKA time domain science program has been lumped into the "exploration of the unknown" theme. Unsurprisingly, no clarity has hitherto emerged on the associated operational or architectural requirements. However, with the recent advent of highly-capable Pathfinders and new programs targeted at exploring key system design questions, insights into these and other critical issues are emerging. Newly-optimized signal combination strategies for large-N arrays, cost effective hardware processing methods, and improved signal detection and localization algorithms are all being refined and implemented on test platforms. Somewhat unexpectedly, the power of SKA-low as a fast transients instrument has recently become evident. This paper reviews a new detectionrate metric developed at ICRAR/Curtin, summarizes the present state of transients surveys, predicts SKA performance, and outlines important messages for the SKA project -particularly the SKA1 system design now underway.Resolving the Sky -Radio Interferometry: Past, Present and Future

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Observing pulsars and fast transients with LOFAR

Cited by 215 publications

References 133 publications

The LOFAR pilot surveys for pulsars and fast radio transients

The LOFAR pilot surveys for pulsars and fast radio transients

The square kilometre array and the transient universe

SKA Studies of the Radio Transient Universe

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