If the antennae of LOFAR are the senses of the radio telescope, then the central correlator is its brain. It is the place where all the data streams come together and are converted into astronomy data.
If the antennae of LOFAR are the senses of the radio telescope, then the central correlator is its brain. It is the place where all the data streams come together and are converted into astronomy data.
LOFAR uses two types of antennas. Each type listens to different wavelengths of the radio spectrum. Different wavelengths provide complementary information about the Universe and its constituents.
During the 10 years since the LOFAR opening, the telescope has proven itself as an excellent instrument for the study of radio pulsars, rotating neutron stars whose radio beams act as lighthouses.
One of the important aspects of radio telescopes, in general, is the synchronisation in between antennas and for LOFAR in particular the synchronization between stations
The view of the radio universe at the VHF frequencies of LOFAR is strongly affected by the Earth’s ionosphere.
This infographic explains how LOFAR utilizes off the shelf GPU's to create a detailed image from data streams of radio waves.
LOFAR is a highly flexible instrument, which can be utilized for many things. Each antenna, for example, has a 5-second buffer, which can be used to measure very short, strong signals.
The behaviour of black holes and neutron stars can expose some of the most extreme tests of physical law. Therefore, this behaviour can be used to find answers to questions as to how black holes are born and to the origin of magnetic fields and cosmic rays.
A detailed radio image of the entire northern sky in the frequency range of 120-168 MHz. That is what the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTTS) aims to achieve.
13.8 billion years ago, our Universe was created in an event called the Big Bang. "Only" 0.5 billion years later, the Universe entered a pivotal stage.