The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey:  I. Survey description and preliminary data release

T. W. Shimwell; H. J. A. Röttgering; P. N. Best; W. L. Williams; T. J. Dijkema; F. de Gasperin; M. J. Hardcastle; G. H. Heald; D. N. Hoang; A. Horneffer; H. Intema; E. K. Mahony; S. Mandal; A. P. Mechev; L. Morabito; J. B. R. Oonk; D. Rafferty; E. Retana-Montenegro; J. Sabater; C. Tasse; R. J. van Weeren; M. Brüggen; G. Brunetti; K. T. Chyży; J. E. Conway; M. Haverkorn; N. Jackson; M. J. Jarvis; J. P. McKean; G. K. Miley; R. Morganti; G. J. White; M. W. Wise; I. M. van Bemmel; R. Beck; M. Brienza; A. Bonafede; G. Calistro Rivera; R. Cassano; A. O. Clarke; D. Cseh; A. Deller; A. Drabent; W. van Driel; D. Engels; H. Falcke; C. Ferrari; S. Fröhlich; M. A. Garrett; J. J. Harwood; V. Heesen; M. Hoeft; C. Horellou; F. P. Israel; A. D. Kapińska; M. Kunert-Bajraszewska; D. J. McKay; N. R. Mohan; E. Orrú; R. F. Pizzo; I. Prandoni; D. J. Schwarz; A. Shulevski; M. Sipior; D. J. B. Smith; S. S. Sridhar; M. Steinmetz; A. Stroe; E. Varenius; P. P. van der Werf; J. A. Zensus; J. T. L. Zwart

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201629313

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: I. Survey description and preliminary data release

T. W. Shimwell, H. J. A. Röttgering, P. N. Best, W. L. Williams, T. J. Dijkema, F. de Gasperin, M. J. Hardcastle, G. H. Heald, D. N. Hoang, A. Horneffer, H. Intema, E. K. Mahony, S. Mandal, A. P. Mechev, L. Morabito, J. B. R. Oonk, D. Rafferty, E. Retana-Montenegro, J. Sabater, C. TasseR. J. van Weeren, M. Brüggen, G. Brunetti, K. T. Chyży, J. E. Conway, M. Haverkorn, N. Jackson, M. J. Jarvis, J. P. McKean, G. K. Miley, R. Morganti, G. J. White, M. W. Wise, I. M. van Bemmel, R. Beck, M. Brienza, A. Bonafede, G. Calistro Rivera, R. Cassano, A. O. Clarke, D. Cseh, A. Deller, A. Drabent, W. van Driel, D. Engels, H. Falcke, C. Ferrari, S. Fröhlich, M. A. Garrett, J. J. Harwood, V. Heesen, M. Hoeft, C. Horellou, F. P. Israel, A. D. Kapińska, M. Kunert-Bajraszewska, D. J. McKay, N. R. Mohan, E. Orrú, R. F. Pizzo, I. Prandoni, D. J. Schwarz, A. Shulevski, M. Sipior, D. J. B. Smith, S. S. Sridhar, M. Steinmetz, A. Stroe, E. Varenius, P. P. van der Werf, J. A. Zensus, J. T. L. Zwart

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Abstract

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky. Each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce 5″ resolution images with a sensitivity of 100 μJy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure. Owing to the compact core and long baselines of LOFAR, the images provide excellent sensitivity to both highly extended and compact emission. For legacy value, the data are archived at high spectral and time resolution to facilitate subarcsecond imaging and spectral line studies. In this paper we provide an overview of the LoTSS. We outline the survey strategy, the observational status, the current calibration techniques, a preliminary data release, and the anticipated scientific impact. The preliminary images that we have released were created using a fully automated but direction-independent calibration strategy and are significantly more sensitive than those produced by any existing large-area low-frequency survey. In excess of 44 000 sources are detected in the images that have a resolution of 25″, typical noise levels of less than 0.5 mJy/beam, and cover an area of over 350 square degrees in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00'00″ to 57°00'00″). The catalogue (full Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A104

Original language	English
Article number	A104
Journal	Astronomy & astrophysics
Volume	598
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201629313
Publication status	Published - 1-Feb-2017

Keywords

surveys
catalogs
radio continuum: general
techniques: image processing
1ST SURVEY
FOLLOW-UP
RADIO RECOMBINATION LINES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
LUMINOSITY FUNCTION
CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS
CALIBRATOR SURVEY
HERSCHEL-ATLAS
QUASAR SURVEY
WIDE-FIELD

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Shimwell, T. W., Röttgering, H. J. A., Best, P. N., Williams, W. L., Dijkema, T. J., de Gasperin, F., Hardcastle, M. J., Heald, G. H., Hoang, D. N., Horneffer, A., Intema, H., Mahony, E. K., Mandal, S., Mechev, A. P., Morabito, L., Oonk, J. B. R., Rafferty, D., Retana-Montenegro, E., Sabater, J., ... Zwart, J. T. L. (2017). The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: I. Survey description and preliminary data release. Astronomy & astrophysics, 598, [A104]. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201629313

@article{9f0350a8d96a4c85841b78c0664b7f7c,

title = "The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: I. Survey description and preliminary data release",

abstract = "The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky. Each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce 5″ resolution images with a sensitivity of 100 μJy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure. Owing to the compact core and long baselines of LOFAR, the images provide excellent sensitivity to both highly extended and compact emission. For legacy value, the data are archived at high spectral and time resolution to facilitate subarcsecond imaging and spectral line studies. In this paper we provide an overview of the LoTSS. We outline the survey strategy, the observational status, the current calibration techniques, a preliminary data release, and the anticipated scientific impact. The preliminary images that we have released were created using a fully automated but direction-independent calibration strategy and are significantly more sensitive than those produced by any existing large-area low-frequency survey. In excess of 44 000 sources are detected in the images that have a resolution of 25″, typical noise levels of less than 0.5 mJy/beam, and cover an area of over 350 square degrees in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00'00″ to 57°00'00″). The catalogue (full Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A104",

keywords = "surveys, catalogs, radio continuum: general, techniques: image processing, 1ST SURVEY, FOLLOW-UP, RADIO RECOMBINATION LINES, GALAXY CLUSTERS, LUMINOSITY FUNCTION, CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS, CALIBRATOR SURVEY, HERSCHEL-ATLAS, QUASAR SURVEY, WIDE-FIELD",

author = "Shimwell, {T. W.} and R{\"o}ttgering, {H. J. A.} and Best, {P. N.} and Williams, {W. L.} and Dijkema, {T. J.} and {de Gasperin}, F. and Hardcastle, {M. J.} and Heald, {G. H.} and Hoang, {D. N.} and A. Horneffer and H. Intema and Mahony, {E. K.} and S. Mandal and Mechev, {A. P.} and L. Morabito and Oonk, {J. B. R.} and D. Rafferty and E. Retana-Montenegro and J. Sabater and C. Tasse and {van Weeren}, {R. J.} and M. Br{\"u}ggen and G. Brunetti and Chy{\.z}y, {K. T.} and Conway, {J. E.} and M. Haverkorn and N. Jackson and Jarvis, {M. J.} and McKean, {J. P.} and Miley, {G. K.} and R. Morganti and White, {G. J.} and Wise, {M. W.} and {van Bemmel}, {I. M.} and R. Beck and M. Brienza and A. Bonafede and {Calistro Rivera}, G. and R. Cassano and Clarke, {A. O.} and D. Cseh and A. Deller and A. Drabent and {van Driel}, W. and D. Engels and H. Falcke and C. Ferrari and S. Fr{\"o}hlich and Garrett, {M. A.} and Harwood, {J. J.} and V. Heesen and M. Hoeft and C. Horellou and Israel, {F. P.} and Kapi{\'n}ska, {A. D.} and M. Kunert-Bajraszewska and McKay, {D. J.} and Mohan, {N. R.} and E. Orr{\'u} and Pizzo, {R. F.} and I. Prandoni and Schwarz, {D. J.} and A. Shulevski and M. Sipior and Smith, {D. J. B.} and Sridhar, {S. S.} and M. Steinmetz and A. Stroe and E. Varenius and {van der Werf}, {P. P.} and Zensus, {J. A.} and Zwart, {J. T. L.}",

year = "2017",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201629313",

language = "English",

volume = "598",

journal = "Astronomy & astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = " EDP Sciences",

}

Shimwell, TW, Röttgering, HJA, Best, PN, Williams, WL, Dijkema, TJ, de Gasperin, F, Hardcastle, MJ, Heald, GH, Hoang, DN, Horneffer, A, Intema, H, Mahony, EK, Mandal, S, Mechev, AP, Morabito, L, Oonk, JBR, Rafferty, D, Retana-Montenegro, E, Sabater, J, Tasse, C, van Weeren, RJ, Brüggen, M, Brunetti, G, Chyży, KT, Conway, JE, Haverkorn, M, Jackson, N, Jarvis, MJ, McKean, JP, Miley, GK, Morganti, R, White, GJ, Wise, MW, van Bemmel, IM, Beck, R, Brienza, M, Bonafede, A, Calistro Rivera, G, Cassano, R, Clarke, AO, Cseh, D, Deller, A, Drabent, A, van Driel, W, Engels, D, Falcke, H, Ferrari, C, Fröhlich, S, Garrett, MA, Harwood, JJ, Heesen, V, Hoeft, M, Horellou, C, Israel, FP, Kapińska, AD, Kunert-Bajraszewska, M, McKay, DJ, Mohan, NR, Orrú, E, Pizzo, RF, Prandoni, I, Schwarz, DJ, Shulevski, A, Sipior, M, Smith, DJB, Sridhar, SS, Steinmetz, M, Stroe, A, Varenius, E, van der Werf, PP, Zensus, JA & Zwart, JTL 2017, 'The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: I. Survey description and preliminary data release', Astronomy & astrophysics, vol. 598, A104. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201629313

TY - JOUR

T1 - The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey

T2 - I. Survey description and preliminary data release

AU - Shimwell, T. W.

AU - Röttgering, H. J. A.

AU - Best, P. N.

AU - Williams, W. L.

AU - Dijkema, T. J.

AU - de Gasperin, F.

AU - Hardcastle, M. J.

AU - Heald, G. H.

AU - Hoang, D. N.

AU - Horneffer, A.

AU - Intema, H.

AU - Mahony, E. K.

AU - Mandal, S.

AU - Mechev, A. P.

AU - Morabito, L.

AU - Oonk, J. B. R.

AU - Rafferty, D.

AU - Retana-Montenegro, E.

AU - Sabater, J.

AU - Tasse, C.

AU - van Weeren, R. J.

AU - Brüggen, M.

AU - Brunetti, G.

AU - Chyży, K. T.

AU - Conway, J. E.

AU - Haverkorn, M.

AU - Jackson, N.

AU - Jarvis, M. J.

AU - McKean, J. P.

AU - Miley, G. K.

AU - Morganti, R.

AU - White, G. J.

AU - Wise, M. W.

AU - van Bemmel, I. M.

AU - Beck, R.

AU - Brienza, M.

AU - Bonafede, A.

AU - Calistro Rivera, G.

AU - Cassano, R.

AU - Clarke, A. O.

AU - Cseh, D.

AU - Deller, A.

AU - Drabent, A.

AU - van Driel, W.

AU - Engels, D.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Ferrari, C.

AU - Fröhlich, S.

AU - Garrett, M. A.

AU - Harwood, J. J.

AU - Heesen, V.

AU - Hoeft, M.

AU - Horellou, C.

AU - Israel, F. P.

AU - Kapińska, A. D.

AU - Kunert-Bajraszewska, M.

AU - McKay, D. J.

AU - Mohan, N. R.

AU - Orrú, E.

AU - Pizzo, R. F.

AU - Prandoni, I.

AU - Schwarz, D. J.

AU - Shulevski, A.

AU - Sipior, M.

AU - Smith, D. J. B.

AU - Sridhar, S. S.

AU - Steinmetz, M.

AU - Stroe, A.

AU - Varenius, E.

AU - van der Werf, P. P.

AU - Zensus, J. A.

AU - Zwart, J. T. L.

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky. Each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce 5″ resolution images with a sensitivity of 100 μJy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure. Owing to the compact core and long baselines of LOFAR, the images provide excellent sensitivity to both highly extended and compact emission. For legacy value, the data are archived at high spectral and time resolution to facilitate subarcsecond imaging and spectral line studies. In this paper we provide an overview of the LoTSS. We outline the survey strategy, the observational status, the current calibration techniques, a preliminary data release, and the anticipated scientific impact. The preliminary images that we have released were created using a fully automated but direction-independent calibration strategy and are significantly more sensitive than those produced by any existing large-area low-frequency survey. In excess of 44 000 sources are detected in the images that have a resolution of 25″, typical noise levels of less than 0.5 mJy/beam, and cover an area of over 350 square degrees in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00'00″ to 57°00'00″). The catalogue (full Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A104

AB - The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a deep 120-168 MHz imaging survey that will eventually cover the entire northern sky. Each of the 3170 pointings will be observed for 8 h, which, at most declinations, is sufficient to produce 5″ resolution images with a sensitivity of 100 μJy/beam and accomplish the main scientific aims of the survey, which are to explore the formation and evolution of massive black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and large-scale structure. Owing to the compact core and long baselines of LOFAR, the images provide excellent sensitivity to both highly extended and compact emission. For legacy value, the data are archived at high spectral and time resolution to facilitate subarcsecond imaging and spectral line studies. In this paper we provide an overview of the LoTSS. We outline the survey strategy, the observational status, the current calibration techniques, a preliminary data release, and the anticipated scientific impact. The preliminary images that we have released were created using a fully automated but direction-independent calibration strategy and are significantly more sensitive than those produced by any existing large-area low-frequency survey. In excess of 44 000 sources are detected in the images that have a resolution of 25″, typical noise levels of less than 0.5 mJy/beam, and cover an area of over 350 square degrees in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00'00″ to 57°00'00″). The catalogue (full Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A104

KW - surveys

KW - catalogs

KW - radio continuum: general

KW - techniques: image processing

KW - 1ST SURVEY

KW - FOLLOW-UP

KW - RADIO RECOMBINATION LINES

KW - GALAXY CLUSTERS

KW - LUMINOSITY FUNCTION

KW - CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS

KW - CALIBRATOR SURVEY

KW - HERSCHEL-ATLAS

KW - QUASAR SURVEY

KW - WIDE-FIELD

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201629313

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201629313

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 598

JO - Astronomy & astrophysics

JF - Astronomy & astrophysics

M1 - A104

ER -