arXiv subjects

H. Röttgering

Publications and source records attributed to H. Röttgering.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

LBCS: the LOFAR Long-Baseline Calibrator Survey

(abridged). We outline LBCS (the LOFAR Long-Baseline Calibrator Survey), whose aim is to identify sources suitable for calibrating the highest-resolution observations made with the International LOFAR Telescope, which include baselines >1000 km. Suitable sources must contain significant correlated flux density (50-100mJy) at frequencies around 110--190~MHz on scales of a few hundred mas. At least for the 200--300-km international baselines, we find around 1 suitable calibrator source per square degree over a large part of the northern sky, in agreement with previous work. This should allow a randomly selected target to be successfully phase calibrated on the international baselines in over 50% of cases. Products of the survey include calibrator source lists and fringe-rate and delay maps of wide areas -- typically a few degrees -- around each source. The density of sources with significant correlated flux declines noticeably with baseline length over the range 200--600~km, with good calibrators on the longest baselines appearing only at the rate of 0.5 per square degree. Coherence times decrease from 1--3 minutes on 200-km baselines to about 1 minute on 600-km baselines, suggesting that ionospheric phase variations contain components with scales of a few hundred kilometres. The longest median coherence time, at just over 3 minutes, is seen on the DE609 baseline, which at 227km is close to being the shortest. We see median coherence times of between 80 and 110 seconds on the four longest baselines (580--600~km), and about 2 minutes for the other baselines. The success of phase transfer from calibrator to target is shown to be influenced by distance, in a manner that suggests a coherence patch at 150-MHz of the order of 1 degree.

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arXiv2015

Calibrating the absolute amplitude scale for air showers measured at LOFAR

Air showers induced by cosmic rays create nanosecond pulses detectable at radio frequencies. These pulses have been measured successfully in the past few years at the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and are used to study the properties of cosmic rays. For a complete understanding of this phenomenon and the underlying physical processes, an absolute calibration of the detecting antenna system is needed. We present three approaches that were used to check and improve the antenna model of LOFAR and to provide an absolute calibration of the whole system for air shower measurements. Two methods are based on calibrated reference sources and one on a calibration approach using the diffuse radio emission of the Galaxy, optimized for short data-sets. An accuracy of 19% in amplitude is reached. The absolute calibration is also compared to predictions from air shower simulations. These results are used to set an absolute energy scale for air shower measurements and can be used as a basis for an absolute scale for the measurement of astronomical transients with LOFAR.

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arXiv2015

Imaging Jupiter's radiation belts down to 127 MHz with LOFAR

Context. Observing Jupiter's synchrotron emission from the Earth remains today the sole method to scrutinize the distribution and dynamical behavior of the ultra energetic electrons magnetically trapped around the planet (because in-situ particle data are limited in the inner magnetosphere). Aims. We perform the first resolved and low-frequency imaging of the synchrotron emission with LOFAR at 127 MHz. The radiation comes from low energy electrons (~1-30 MeV) which map a broad region of Jupiter's inner magnetosphere. Methods (see article for complete abstract) Results. The first resolved images of Jupiter's radiation belts at 127-172 MHz are obtained along with total integrated flux densities. They are compared with previous observations at higher frequencies and show a larger extent of the synchrotron emission source (>=4 $R_J$). The asymmetry and the dynamic of east-west emission peaks are measured and the presence of a hot spot at lambda_III=230 ° $\pm$ 25 °. Spectral flux density measurements are on the low side of previous (unresolved) ones, suggesting a low-frequency turnover and/or time variations of the emission spectrum. Conclusions. LOFAR is a powerful and flexible planetary imager. The observations at 127 MHz depict an extended emission up to ~4-5 planetary radii. The similarities with high frequency results reinforce the conclusion that: i) the magnetic field morphology primarily shapes the brightness distribution of the emission and ii) the radiating electrons are likely radially and latitudinally distributed inside about 2 $R_J$. Nonetheless, the larger extent of the brightness combined with the overall lower flux density, yields new information on Jupiter's electron distribution, that may shed light on the origin and mode of transport of these particles.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2015

Wide-Band, Low-Frequency Pulse Profiles of 100 Radio Pulsars with LOFAR

LOFAR offers the unique capability of observing pulsars across the 10-240 MHz frequency range with a fractional bandwidth of roughly 50%. This spectral range is well-suited for studying the frequency evolution of pulse profile morphology caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic effects: such as changing emission altitude in the pulsar magnetosphere or scatter broadening by the interstellar medium, respectively. The magnitude of most of these effects increases rapidly towards low frequencies. LOFAR can thus address a number of open questions about the nature of radio pulsar emission and its propagation through the interstellar medium. We present the average pulse profiles of 100 pulsars observed in the two LOFAR frequency bands: High Band (120-167 MHz, 100 profiles) and Low Band (15-62 MHz, 26 profiles). We compare them with Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) and Lovell Telescope observations at higher frequencies (350 and1400 MHz) in order to study the profile evolution. The profiles are aligned in absolute phase by folding with a new set of timing solutions from the Lovell Telescope, which we present along with precise dispersion measures obtained with LOFAR. We find that the profile evolution with decreasing radio frequency does not follow a specific trend but, depending on the geometry of the pulsar, new components can enter into, or be hidden from, view. Nonetheless, in general our observations confirm the widening of pulsar profiles at low frequencies, as expected from radius-to-frequency mapping or birefringence theories. We offer this catalog of low-frequency pulsar profiles in a user friendly way via the EPN Database of Pulsar Profiles (http://www.epta.eu.org/epndb/).

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arXiv2015

$Suzaku$ X-ray study of the double radio relic galaxy cluster CIZA J2242.8+5301

Content: We present the results from $Suzaku$ observations of the merging cluster of galaxies CIZA J2242.8+5301 at $z$=0.192. Aims. To study the physics of gas heating and particle acceleration in cluster mergers, we investigated the X-ray emission from CIZA J2242.8+5301, which hosts two giant radio relics in the northern/southern part of the cluster. Methods. We analyzed data from three-pointed Suzaku observations of CIZA J2242.8+5301 to derive the temperature distribution in four different directions. Results: The Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM) temperature shows a remarkable drop from 8.5$_{-0.6}^{+0.8}$ keV to 2.7$_{-0.4}^{+0.7}$ keV across the northern radio relic. The temperature drop is consistent with a Mach number ${\cal M}_n=2.7^{+0.7}_{-0.4}$ and a shock velocity $v_{shock:n}=2300_{-400}^{+700}\rm\,km\,s^{-1}$. We also confirm the temperature drop across the southern radio relic. However, the ICM temperature beyond this relic is much higher than beyond the northern one, which gives a Mach number ${\cal M}_s=1.7^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$ and shock velocity $v_{shock:s}=2040_{-410}^{+550}\rm \,km\,s^{-1}$. These results agree with other systems showing a relationship between the radio relics and shock fronts which are induced by merging activity. We compare the X-ray derived Mach numbers with the radio derived Mach numbers from the radio spectral index under the assumption of diffusive shock acceleration in the linear test particle regime. For the northern radio relic, the Mach numbers derived from X-ray and radio observations agree with each other. Based on the shock velocities, we estimate that CIZA J2242.8+5301 is observed approximately 0.6 Gyr after core passage. The magnetic field pressure at the northern relic is estimated to be 9% of the thermal pressure.

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arXiv2015

LOFAR discovery of a quiet emission mode in PSR B0823+26

PSR B0823+26, a 0.53-s radio pulsar, displays a host of emission phenomena over timescales of seconds to (at least) hours, including nulling, subpulse drifting, and mode-changing. Studying pulsars like PSR B0823+26 provides further insight into the relationship between these various emission phenomena and what they might teach us about pulsar magnetospheres. Here we report on the LOFAR discovery that PSR B0823+26 has a weak and sporadically emitting 'quiet' (Q) emission mode that is over 100 times weaker (on average) and has a nulling fraction forty-times greater than that of the more regularly-emitting 'bright' (B) mode. Previously, the pulsar has been undetected in the Q-mode, and was assumed to be nulling continuously. PSR B0823+26 shows a further decrease in average flux just before the transition into the B-mode, and perhaps truly turns off completely at these times. Furthermore, simultaneous observations taken with the LOFAR, Westerbork, Lovell, and Effelsberg telescopes between 110 MHz and 2.7 GHz demonstrate that the transition between the Q-mode and B-mode occurs within one single rotation of the neutron star, and that it is concurrent across the range of frequencies observed.

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arXiv2015

Probing Atmospheric Electric Fields in Thunderstorms through Radio Emission from Cosmic-Ray-Induced Air Showers

We present measurements of radio emission from cosmic ray air showers that took place during thunderstorms. The intensity and polarization patterns of these air showers are radically different from those measured during fair-weather conditions. With the use of a simple two-layer model for the atmospheric electric field, these patterns can be well reproduced by state-of-the-art simulation codes. This in turn provides a novel way to study atmospheric electric fields.

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arXiv2015

LOFAR Sparse Image Reconstruction

Context. The LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) radio telescope is a giant digital phased array interferometer with multiple antennas distributed in Europe. It provides discrete sets of Fourier components of the sky brightness. Recovering the original brightness distribution with aperture synthesis forms an inverse problem that can be solved by various deconvolution and minimization methods Aims. Recent papers have established a clear link between the discrete nature of radio interferometry measurement and the "compressed sensing" (CS) theory, which supports sparse reconstruction methods to form an image from the measured visibilities. Empowered by proximal theory, CS offers a sound framework for efficient global minimization and sparse data representation using fast algorithms. Combined with instrumental direction-dependent effects (DDE) in the scope of a real instrument, we developed and validated a new method based on this framework Methods. We implemented a sparse reconstruction method in the standard LOFAR imaging tool and compared the photometric and resolution performance of this new imager with that of CLEAN-based methods (CLEAN and MS-CLEAN) with simulated and real LOFAR data Results. We show that i) sparse reconstruction performs as well as CLEAN in recovering the flux of point sources; ii) performs much better on extended objects (the root mean square error is reduced by a factor of up to 10); and iii) provides a solution with an effective angular resolution 2-3 times better than the CLEAN images. Conclusions. Sparse recovery gives a correct photometry on high dynamic and wide-field images and improved realistic structures of extended sources (of simulated and real LOFAR datasets). This sparse reconstruction method is compatible with modern interferometric imagers that handle DDE corrections (A- and W-projections) required for current and future instruments such as LOFAR and SKA

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arXiv2014

Cluster Radio Halos at the crossroads between astrophysics and cosmology in the SKA era

Giant Radio Halos (RH) are diffuse, Mpc-sized, synchrotron radio sources observed in a fraction of merging galaxy clusters. The current scenario for the origin of RHs assumes that turbulence generated during cluster mergers re-accelerates pre-existing fossil and/or secondary electrons in the intra-cluster-medium (ICM) to the energies necessary to produce the observed radio emission. Moreover, more relaxed clusters could host diffuse "off state" halos produced by secondary electrons. In this Chapter we use Monte Carlo simulations, that combine turbulent-acceleration physics and the generation of secondaries in the ICM, to calculate the occurrence of RHs in the Universe, their spectral properties and connection with properties of the hosting clusters. Predictions for SKA1 surveys are presented at low (100-300 MHz) and mid (1-2 GHz) frequencies assuming the expected sensitivities and spatial resolutions of SKA1. SKA1 will step into an unexplored territory allowing us to study the formation and evolution of RHs in a totally new range of cluster masses and redshift, allowing firm tests of the current theoretical hypothesis. In particular, the combination of SKA1-LOW and SUR will allow the discovery of ~1000 ultrasteep- spectrum halos and to detect for the very first time "off state" RHs. We expect that at least ~2500 giant RHs will be discovered by SKA1-LOW surveys up to z~0.6. Remarkably these surveys will be sensitive to RHs in a cluster mass range (down to ~10^14 solar masses) and redshifts (up to ~1) that are unexplored by current observations. SKA1 surveys will be highly competitive with present and future SZ-surveys in the detection of high-redshift massive objects.

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arXiv2014

Measuring a Cherenkov ring in the radio emission from air showers at 110-190 MHz with LOFAR

Measuring radio emission from air showers offers a novel way to determine properties of the primary cosmic rays such as their mass and energy. Theory predicts that relativistic time compression effects lead to a ring of amplified emission which starts to dominate the emission pattern for frequencies above ~100 MHz. In this article we present the first detailed measurements of this structure. Ring structures in the radio emission of air showers are measured with the LOFAR radio telescope in the frequency range of 110 - 190 MHz. These data are well described by CoREAS simulations. They clearly confirm the importance of including the index of refraction of air as a function of height. Furthermore, the presence of the Cherenkov ring offers the possibility for a geometrical measurement of the depth of shower maximum, which in turn depends on the mass of the primary particle.

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arXiv2014

The LOFAR long baseline snapshot calibrator survey

Aims. An efficient means of locating calibrator sources for International LOFAR is developed and used to determine the average density of usable calibrator sources on the sky for subarcsecond observations at 140 MHz. Methods. We used the multi-beaming capability of LOFAR to conduct a fast and computationally inexpensive survey with the full International LOFAR array. Sources were pre-selected on the basis of 325 MHz arcminute-scale flux density using existing catalogues. By observing 30 different sources in each of the 12 sets of pointings per hour, we were able to inspect 630 sources in two hours to determine if they possess a sufficiently bright compact component to be usable as LOFAR delay calibrators. Results. Over 40% of the observed sources are detected on multiple baselines between international stations and 86 are classified as satisfactory calibrators. We show that a flat low-frequency spectrum (from 74 to 325 MHz) is the best predictor of compactness at 140 MHz. We extrapolate from our sample to show that the density of calibrators on the sky that are sufficiently bright to calibrate dispersive and non-dispersive delays for the International LOFAR using existing methods is 1.0 per square degree. Conclusions. The observed density of satisfactory delay calibrator sources means that observations with International LOFAR should be possible at virtually any point in the sky, provided that a fast and efficient search using the methodology described here is conducted prior to the observation to identify the best calibrator.

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arXiv2014

An excess of dusty starbursts related to the Spiderweb galaxy

We present APEX LABOCA 870 micron observations of the field around the high-redshift radio galaxy MRC1138-262 at z=2.16. We detect 16 submillimeter galaxies in this ~140 square arcmin bolometer map with flux densities in the range 3-11 mJy. The raw number counts indicate a density of submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) that is up to four times that of blank field surveys. Based on an exquisite multiwavelength database, including VLA 1.4 GHz radio and infrared observations, we investigate whether these sources are members of the protocluster structure at z=2.2. Using Herschel PACS+SPIRE and Spitzer MIPS photometry, we derive reliable far-infrared photometric redshifts for all sources. Follow-up VLT ISAAC and SINFONI near-infrared spectra confirm that four of these SMGs have redshifts of z=2.2. We also present evidence that another SMG in this field, detected earlier at 850 micron, has a counterpart that exhibits Halpha and CO(1-0) emission at z=2.15. Including the radio galaxy and two SMGs with far-IR photometric redshifts at z=2.2, we conclude that at least eight submm sources are part of the protocluster at z=2.16 associated with the radio galaxy MRC1138-262. We measure a star formation rate density SFRD ~1500 Msun yr^-1 Mpc^-3, four magnitudes higher than the global SFRD of blank fields at this redshift. Strikingly, these eight sources are concentrated within a region of 2 Mpc (the typical size of clusters in the local universe) and are distributed within the filaments traced by the Halpha emitters at z=2.2. This concentration of massive, dusty starbursts is not centered on the submillimeter-bright radio galaxy which could support the infalling of these sources into the cluster center. Approximately half (6/11) of the SMGs that are covered by the Halpha imaging data are associated with Halpha emitters, demonstrating the potential of tracing SMG counterparts with this population (abridged).

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arXiv2014

The LOFAR Pilot Surveys for Pulsars and Fast Radio Transients

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 x 10^4 sq. deg, with 1-hr dwell times. Each observation covered ~75 sq. deg 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 sq. deg, 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 sq. deg per pointing. From LPPS we derive a limit on the occurrence, at 142 MHz, of dispersed radio bursts of < 150 /day/sky, 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 re-detected 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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arXiv2014

LOFAR tied-array imaging of Type III solar radio bursts

The Sun is an active source of radio emission which is often associated with energetic phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). At low radio frequencies (<100 MHz), the Sun has not been imaged extensively because of the instrumental limitations of previous radio telescopes. Here, the combined high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution of the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) was used to study solar Type III radio bursts at 30-90 MHz and their association with CMEs. The Sun was imaged with 126 simultaneous tied-array beams within 5 solar radii of the solar centre. This method offers benefits over standard interferometric imaging since each beam produces high temporal (83 ms) and spectral resolution (12.5 kHz) dynamic spectra at an array of spatial locations centred on the Sun. LOFAR's standard interferometric output is currently limited to one image per second. Over a period of 30 minutes, multiple Type III radio bursts were observed, a number of which were found to be located at high altitudes (4 solar radii from the solar center at 30 MHz) and to have non-radial trajectories. These bursts occurred at altitudes in excess of values predicted by 1D radial electron density models. The non-radial high altitude Type III bursts were found to be associated with the expanding flank of a CME. The CME may have compressed neighbouring streamer plasma producing larger electron densities at high altitudes, while the non-radial burst trajectories can be explained by the deflection of radial magnetic fields as the CME expanded in the low corona.

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arXiv2014

Lunar occultation of the diffuse radio sky: LOFAR measurements between 35 and 80 MHz

We present radio observations of the Moon between $35$ and $80$ MHz to demonstrate a novel technique of interferometrically measuring large-scale diffuse emission extending far beyond the primary beam (global signal) for the first time. In particular, we show that (i) the Moon appears as a negative-flux source at frequencies $35<ν<80$ MHz since it is `colder' than the diffuse Galactic background it occults, (ii) using the (negative) flux of the lunar disc, we can reconstruct the spectrum of the diffuse Galactic emission with the lunar thermal emission as a reference, and (iii) that reflected RFI (radio-frequency interference) is concentrated at the center of the lunar disc due to specular nature of reflection, and can be independently measured. Our RFI measurements show that (i) Moon-based Cosmic Dawn experiments must design for an Earth-isolation of better than $80$ dB to achieve an RFI temperature $<1$ mK, (ii) Moon-reflected RFI contributes to a dipole temperature less than $20$ mK for Earth-based Cosmic Dawn experiments, (iii) man-made satellite-reflected RFI temperature exceeds $20$ mK if the aggregate cross section of visible satellites exceeds $80$ m$^2$ at $800$ km height, or $5$ m$^2$ at $400$ km height. Currently, our diffuse background spectrum is limited by sidelobe confusion on short baselines (10-15% level). Further refinement of our technique may yield constraints on the redshifted global $21$-cm signal from Cosmic Dawn ($40>z>12$) and the Epoch of Reionization ($12>z>5$).

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arXiv2014

The shape of the radio wavefront of extensive air showers as measured with LOFAR

Extensive air showers, induced by high energy cosmic rays impinging on the Earth's atmosphere, produce radio emission that is measured with the LOFAR radio telescope. As the emission comes from a finite distance of a few kilometers, the incident wavefront is non-planar. A spherical, conical or hyperbolic shape of the wavefront has been proposed, but measurements of individual air showers have been inconclusive so far. For a selected high-quality sample of 161 measured extensive air showers, we have reconstructed the wavefront by measuring pulse arrival times to sub-nanosecond precision in 200 to 350 individual antennas. For each measured air shower, we have fitted a conical, spherical, and hyperboloid shape to the arrival times. The fit quality and a likelihood analysis show that a hyperboloid is the best parametrization. Using a non-planar wavefront shape gives an improved angular resolution, when reconstructing the shower arrival direction. Furthermore, a dependence of the wavefront shape on the shower geometry can be seen. This suggests that it will be possible to use a wavefront shape analysis to get an additional handle on the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, which is sensitive to the mass of the primary particle.

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arXiv2014

Multiple density discontinuities in the merging galaxy cluster CIZA J2242.8+5301

CIZA J2242.8+5301, a merging galaxy cluster at z=0.19, hosts a double-relic system and a faint radio halo. Radio observations at frequencies ranging from a few MHz to several GHz have shown that the radio spectral index at the outer edge of the N relic corresponds to a shock of Mach number 4.6+/-1.1, under the assumptions of diffusive shock acceleration of thermal particles in the test particle regime. Here, we present results from new Chandra observations of the cluster. The Chandra surface brightness profile across the N relic only hints to a surface brightness discontinuity (<2-sigma detection). Nevertheless, our reanalysis of archival Suzaku data indicates a temperature discontinuity across the relic that is consistent with a Mach number of 2.5+/-0.5, in agreement with previously published results. This confirms that the Mach number at the shock traced by the N relic is much weaker than predicted from the radio. Puzzlingly, in the Chandra data we also identify additional inner small density discontinuities both on and off the merger axis. Temperature measurements on both sides of the discontinuities do not allow us to undoubtedly determine their nature, although a shock front interpretation seems more likely. We speculate that if the inner density discontinuities are indeed shock fronts, then they are the consequence of violent relaxation of the dark matter cores of the clusters involved in the merger.

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arXiv2013

Detecting cosmic rays with the LOFAR radio telescope

The low frequency array (LOFAR), is the first radio telescope designed with the capability to measure radio emission from cosmic-ray induced air showers in parallel with interferometric observations. In the first $\sim 2\,\mathrm{years}$ of observing, 405 cosmic-ray events in the energy range of $10^{16} - 10^{18}\,\mathrm{eV}$ have been detected in the band from $30 - 80\,\mathrm{MHz}$. Each of these air showers is registered with up to $\sim1000$ independent antennas resulting in measurements of the radio emission with unprecedented detail. This article describes the dataset, as well as the analysis pipeline, and serves as a reference for future papers based on these data. All steps necessary to achieve a full reconstruction of the electric field at every antenna position are explained, including removal of radio frequency interference, correcting for the antenna response and identification of the pulsed signal.

astro-ph.IM↗