1. Initial deep LOFAR observations of Epoch of Reionization windows: I. The North Celestial Pole
- Author
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M. A. Garrett, Vibor Jelić, Michel Tagger, B. Ciardi, Aris Karastergiou, Harish Vedantham, Marco Iacobelli, Michael W. Wise, Gianni Bernardi, Garrelt Mellema, F. Breitling, F. B. Abdalla, Panagiotis Labropoulos, H. Paas, R. J. van Weeren, Richard Fallows, Léon V. E. Koopmans, M. Kuniyoshi, Michiel A. Brentjens, W. N. Brouw, R. Nijboer, E. Juette, Emanuela Orru, Olaf Wucknitz, V. Veligatla, Gottfried Mann, Ben Stappers, John McKean, M. Mevius, A. G. Polatidis, J. M. Anderson, A. Alexov, Gerard H. Kuper, J. D. Mol, S. ter Veen, Annalisa Bonafede, R. Pizzo, A. W. Gunst, T. E. Hassall, M. Pandey-Pommier, Ph. Zarka, Joop Schaye, Geraint Harker, Michael Kramer, J. Sluman, P. Maat, Jason W. T. Hessels, M. J. Norden, H. J. A. Röttgering, A. R. Offringa, Philip Best, V. I. Kondratiev, Heino Falcke, V. N. Pandey, Chiara Ferrari, J. Noordam, S. Duscha, E. de Geus, John Conway, R. Vermeulen, Sarod Yatawatta, S. Kazemi, Matthias Hoeft, S. Daiboo, F. Batejat, Michael R. Bell, Wolfgang Reich, Saleem Zaroubi, J. M. Griessmeier, R. H. van de Brink, Rajat M. Thomas, Cyril Tasse, Y. Tang, J. W. Broderick, Emma Chapman, Mark J. Bentum, Stefan J. Wijnholds, J. van Leeuwen, Joel N. Bregman, H. Munk, Marcus Brüggen, F. de Gasperin, W. Frieswijk, I. M. Avruch, Oleg Smirnov, Matthias Steinmetz, Martin Bell, O. Martinez Rubi, de Antonius Bruyn, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Kapteyn Astronomical Institute [Groningen], University of Groningen [Groningen], Department of process and energy, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), Harvard University [Cambridge]-Smithsonian Institution, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy [Boulder] (CASA), University of Colorado [Boulder], Stockholm Observatory Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Leiden Observatory [Leiden], Universiteit Leiden [Leiden], Génétique Diversité et Ecophysiologie des Céréales (GDEC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Blaise Pascal - Clermont-Ferrand 2 (UBP), University of Edinburgh, Jacobs University [Bremen], Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), Onsala Space Observatory, Dept. of Radio and Space Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology [Göteborg], Hamburger Sternwarte/Hamburg Observatory, Universität Hamburg (UHH), Medstar Research Institute, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Radboud university [Nijmegen], Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg (TLS), Ruhr-Universität Bochum [Bochum], Oxford Astrophysics, University of Oxford [Oxford], University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Observatoire de Paris - Site de Meudon (OBSPM), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Center for Information Technology CIT, Université de Groningen, Université Blaise Pascal - Clermont-Ferrand 2 (UBP)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University (PSL)-PSL Research University (PSL)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Yatawatta, S., De Bruyn, A.G., Brentjens, M.A., Labropoulos, P., Pandey, V.N., Kazemi, S., Zaroubi, S., Koopmans, L.V.E., Offringa, A.R., Jelić, V., Martinez Rubi, O., Veligatla, V., Wijnholds, S.J., Brouw, W.N., Bernardi, G., Ciardi, B., Daiboo, S., Harker, G., Mellema, G., Schaye, J., Thomas, R., Vedantham, H., Chapman, E., Abdalla, F.B., Alexov, A., Anderson, J., Avruch, I.M., Batejat, F., Bell, M.E., Bell, M.R., Bentum, M., Best, P., Bonafede, A., Bregman, J., Breitling, F., Van De Brink, R.H., Broderick, J.W., Brüggen, M., Conway, J., De Gasperin, F., De Geus, E., Duscha, S., Falcke, H., Fallows, R.A., Ferrari, C., Frieswijk, W., Garrett, M.A., Griessmeier, J.M., Gunst, A.W., Hassall, T.E., Hessels, J.W.T., Hoeft, M., Iacobelli, M., Juette, E., Karastergiou, A., Kondratiev, V.I., Kramer, M., Kuniyoshi, M., Kuper, G., Van Leeuwen, J., Maat, P., Mann, G., McKean, J.P., Mevius, M., Mol, J.D., Munk, H., Nijboer, R., Noordam, J.E., Norden, M.J., Orru, E., Paas, H., Pandey-Pommier, M., Pizzo, R., Polatidis, A.G., Reich, W., Röttgering, H.J.A., Sluman, J., Smirnov, O., Stappers, B., Steinmetz, M., Tagger, M., Tang, Y., Tasse, C., Ter Veen, S., Vermeulen, R., Van Weeren, R.J., Wise, M., Wucknitz, O., Zarka, P., High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Harvard University-Smithsonian Institution, Universiteit Leiden, Radboud University [Nijmegen], Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and University of Oxford
- Subjects
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) ,Astronomy ,first stars ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics ,7. Clean energy ,01 natural sciences ,Instrumentation: interferometer ,METIS-302720 ,Celestial pole ,first stars -instrumentation: interferometers -techniques: interferometric -methods: data analysis ,0103 physical sciences ,dark ages ,Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,Reionization ,Physics ,reionization ,instrumentation: interferometers ,techniques: interferometric ,methods: data analysis ,[SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,010308 nuclear & particles physics ,IR-89500 ,Instrumentation: interferometers – Techniques: interferometric – Cosmology: observations ,Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics ,EWI-24509 ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,LOFAR ,Astronomy and Astrophysic ,Redshift ,Galaxy ,diffuse radiation ,Dark ages, reionization, first star ,Orders of magnitude (time) ,Space and Planetary Science ,Instrumentation: interferometers ,Techniques: interferometric ,ComputingMethodologies_DOCUMENTANDTEXTPROCESSING ,Ionosphere ,Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics ,Noise (radio) ,Methods: data analysi ,Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics - Abstract
The aim of the LOFAR Epoch of Reionization (EoR) project is to detect the spectral fluctuations of the redshifted HI 21cm signal. This signal is weaker by several orders of magnitude than the astrophysical foreground signals and hence, in order to achieve this, very long integrations, accurate calibration for stations and ionosphere and reliable foreground removal are essential. One of the prospective observing windows for the LOFAR EoR project will be centered at the North Celestial Pole (NCP). We present results from observations of the NCP window using the LOFAR highband antenna (HBA) array in the frequency range 115 MHz to 163 MHz. The data were obtained in April 2011 during the commissioning phase of LOFAR. We used baselines up to about 30 km. With about 3 nights, of 6 hours each, effective integration we have achieved a noise level of about 100 microJy/PSF in the NCP window. Close to the NCP, the noise level increases to about 180 microJy/PSF, mainly due to additional contamination from unsubtracted nearby sources. We estimate that in our best night, we have reached a noise level only a factor of 1.4 above the thermal limit set by the noise from our Galaxy and the receivers. Our continuum images are several times deeper than have been achieved previously using the WSRT and GMRT arrays. We derive an analytical explanation for the excess noise that we believe to be mainly due to sources at large angular separation from the NCP., 19 pages, 24 figures. Draft version with low resolution images. Accepted on 08/01/2013 Astronomy & Astrophysics. Abstract abridged. Version with high resolution images: http://www.astro.rug.nl/~yatawatta/ncp_eor.pdf
- Published
- 2013