Title: LOFAR-UK Authors: Rob Fender on behalf of the LOFAR-UK consortium
The LOFAR-UK station at Chilbolton has recently been completed and significantly increases the angular resolution of the International LOFAR Telescope, as well as providing a unique training site and testbed for british experience with next-generation software telescopes. The station has been funded primarily through the LOFAR-UK, the largest astronomy collaboration in Britain, as well as via the South East Physics Network (SEPNET) and STFC. In this brief paper we discuss the history and organisation of LOFAR-UK, provide a technical description of the Chilbolton site, and discuss how LOFAR stations can be augmented by the addition of extra local processing capabilities such as ARTEMIS.
The first major radio telescope to be built in Britain for decades officially opened this week at the Chilbolton Observatory in Hampshire. The telescope, which is part of the European LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) project, will 'listen' to the Universe at FM frequencies, helping astronomers detect when the first stars in the Universe were formed and revealing more about how the Universe evolved. Read more
Astronomers are launching a telescope to search for the origins of the universe and even to find intelligent alien lifeforms - all by listening to the skies using a massive FM radio receiver. The universities of Portsmouth, Oxford and Southampton are joining forces with experts from around the country to construct the first major radio telescope to be built in the UK for decades. Read more
The world's largest telescope is being built this week to discover how galaxies formed during the 'dark ages' of the universe. University of Portsmouth scientists and students are planting 96 radio antennas into a field the size of two football pitches near Winchester to 'listen' to the sky at FM radio waves. Astronomers at the Chilbolton site hope to detect when the first stars were formed and will observe some of the most distant galaxies, revealing more about how the it evolved during a period scientists know little about. Read more
The Chilbolton Observatory is home to CFARR, the Chilbolton Facility for Atmospheric and Radio Research. CFARR provides the UK and European science communities with advanced radars and other ground-based remote sensing facilities in support of high quality atmospheric science, radar and radio research. It meets the needs of Research Council communities and other customers by providing calibrated and validated data products for improved weather forecasting, understanding of climate change and the effects of the atmosphere on communications systems. CFARR is funded by NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) and operated by the STFC Space Science and Technology Department. Read more