scholarly journals Realisation of a low frequency SKA Precursor: The Murchison Widefield Array

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Tingay
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array

The GLEAM 4-Jy Sample: The brightest radio-sources in the southern sky

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S356) ◽  
pp. 375-375
Author(s):  
Sarah White
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Radio Sources ◽  
Relativistic Jets ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Past Activity

AbstractLow-frequency radio emission allows powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN) to be selected in a way that is unaffected by dust obscuration and orientation of the jet axis. It also reveals past activity (e.g. radio lobes) that may not be evident at higher frequencies. Currently, there are too few “radio-loud” galaxies for robust studies in terms of redshift-evolution and/or environment. Hence our use of new observations from the Murchison Widefield Array (the SKA-Low precursor), over the southern sky, to construct the GLEAM 4-Jy Sample (1,860 sources at S151MHz > 4 Jy). This sample is dominated by AGN and is 10 times larger than the heavily relied-upon 3CRR sample (173 sources at S178MHz > 10 Jy) of the northern hemisphere. In order to understand how AGN influence their surroundings and the way galaxies evolve, we first need to correctly identify the galaxy hosting the radio emission. This has now been completed for the GLEAM 4-Jy Sample – through repeated visual inspection and extensive checks against the literature – forming a valuable, legacy dataset for investigating relativistic jets and their interplay with the environment.

scholarly journals Thermal radio absorption as a tracer of the interaction of SNRs with their environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 653 ◽  
pp. A62
Author(s):  
G. Castelletti ◽  
L. Supan ◽  
W. M. Peters ◽  
N. E. Kassim
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Index ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Surrounding Medium ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Power Laws ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Pulsar Wind Nebulae ◽  
Very Large Array ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Thermal Absorption

We present new images and continuum spectral analysis for 14 resolved Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) selected from the 74 MHz Very Large Array Low-Frequency Sky Survey Redux (VLSSr). We combine new integrated measurements from the VLSSr with, when available, flux densities extracted from the Galactic and Extragalactic All-Sky Murchison Widefield Array Survey and measurements from the literature to generate improved integrated continuum spectra sampled from ~15 MHz to ~217 GHz. We present the VLSSr images. When possible we combine them with publicly available images at 1.4 GHz, to analyse the resolved morphology and spectral index distribution across each SNR. We interpret the results and look for evidence of thermal absorption caused by ionised gas either proximate to the SNR itself, or along its line of sight. Three of the SNRs, G4.5+6.8 (Kepler), G28.6−0.1, and G120.1+1.4 (Tycho), have integrated spectra which can be adequately fit with simple power laws. The resolved spectral index map for Tycho confirms internal absorption which was previously detected by the Low Frequency Array, but it is insufficient to affect the fit to the integrated spectrum. Two of the SNRs are pulsar wind nebulae, G21.5−0.9 and G130.7+3.1 (3C 58). For those we identify high-frequency spectral breaks at 38 and 12 GHz, respectively. For the integrated spectra of the remaining nine SNRs, a low frequency spectral turnover is necessary to adequately fit the data. In all cases we are able to explain the turnover by extrinsic thermal absorption. For G18.8+0.3 (Kes 67), G21.8−0.6 (Kes 69), G29.7−0.3 (Kes 75), and G41.1−0.3 (3C 397), we attribute the absorption to ionised gas along the line of sight, possibly from extended H II region envelopes. For G23.3−0.3 (W41) the absorption can be attributed to H II regions located in its immediate proximity. Thermal absorption from interactions at the ionised interface between SNR forward shocks and the surrounding medium were previously identified as responsible for the low frequency turnover in SNR G31.9+0.0 (3C 391); our integrated spectrum is consistent with the previous results. We present evidence for the same phenomenon in three additional SNRs G27.4+0.0 (Kes 73), G39.2–0.3 (3C 396), and G43.3–0.2 (W49B), and derive constraints on the physical properties of the interaction. This result indicates that interactions between SNRs and their environs should be readily detectable through thermal absorption by future low frequency observations of SNRs with improved sensitivity and resolution.

scholarly journals Source counts and confusion at 72–231 MHz in the MWA GLEAM survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. O. Franzen ◽  
T. Vernstrom ◽  
C. A. Jackson ◽  
N. Hurley-Walker ◽  
R. D. Ekers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Noise ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Array Design ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Noise Limit ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Extended Emission

Abstract The GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array survey is a radio continuum survey at 72–231 MHz of the whole sky south of declination +30º, carried out with the Murchison Widefield Array. In this paper, we derive source counts from the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison data at 200, 154, 118, and 88 MHz, to a flux density limit of 50, 80, 120, and 290 mJy respectively, correcting for ionospheric smearing, incompleteness and source blending. These counts are more accurate than other counts in the literature at similar frequencies as a result of the large area of sky covered and this survey’s sensitivity to extended emission missed by other surveys. At S154 MHz > 0.5 Jy, there is no evidence of flattening in the average spectral index (α ≈ −0.8 where S ∝ vα) towards the lower frequencies. We demonstrate that the Square Kilometre Array Design Study model by Wilman et al. significantly underpredicts the observed 154-MHz GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison counts, particularly at the bright end. Using deeper Low-Frequency Array counts and the Square Kilometre Array Design Study model, we find that sidelobe confusion dominates the thermal noise and classical confusion at v ≳ 100 MHz due to both the limited CLEANing depth and the undeconvolved sources outside the field-of-view. We show that we can approach the theoretical noise limit using a more efficient and automated CLEAN algorithm.

scholarly journals Fundamental uncertainty levels of 21 cm power spectra from a delay analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (4) ◽  
pp. 5840-5853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam E Lanman ◽  
Jonathan C Pober
Keyword(s):  
Power Spectrum ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Sample Variance ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Delay Analysis ◽  
Analysis Strategies ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Fundamental Uncertainty ◽  
Combining Estimates

Abstract Several experimental efforts are underway to measure the power spectrum of 21 cm fluctuations from the epoch of reionization (EoR) using low-frequency radio interferometers. Experiments like the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) and Murchison Widefield Array Phase II (MWA) feature highly redundant antenna layouts, building sensitivity through redundant measurements of the same angular Fourier modes, at the expense of diminished UV coverage. This strategy limits the numbers of independent samples of each power spectrum mode, thereby increasing the effect of sample variance on the final power spectrum uncertainty. To better quantify this effect, we measure the sample variance of a delay-transform based power spectrum estimator, using both analytic calculations and simulations of flat-spectrum EoR-like signals. We find that for the shortest baselines in HERA, the sample variance can reach as high as 20 per cent, and up to 30 per cent for the wider fields of view of the MWA. Combining estimates from all the baselines in a HERA- or MWA-like 37 element redundant hexagonal array can lower the variance to 1−3 per cent for some Fourier modes. These results have important implications for observing and analysis strategies, and suggest that sample variance can be non-negligible when constraining EoR model parameters from upcoming 21 cm data.

scholarly journals Science with the Murchison Widefield Array

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judd D. Bowman ◽  
Iver Cairns ◽  
David L. Kaplan ◽  
Tara Murphy ◽  
Divya Oberoi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Early Universe ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Space Weather ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Angular Resolution ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Performance Properties ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array

AbstractSignificant new opportunities for astrophysics and cosmology have been identified at low radio frequencies. The Murchison Widefield Array is the first telescope in the southern hemisphere designed specifically to explore the low-frequency astronomical sky between 80 and 300 MHz with arcminute angular resolution and high survey efficiency. The telescope will enable new advances along four key science themes, including searching for redshifted 21-cm emission from the EoR in the early Universe; Galactic and extragalactic all-sky southern hemisphere surveys; time-domain astrophysics; and solar, heliospheric, and ionospheric science and space weather. The Murchison Widefield Array is located in Western Australia at the site of the planned Square Kilometre Array (SKA) low-band telescope and is the only low-frequency SKA precursor facility. In this paper, we review the performance properties of the Murchison Widefield Array and describe its primary scientific objectives.

scholarly journals The Murchison Widefield Array Commissioning Survey: A Low-Frequency Catalogue of 14 110 Compact Radio Sources over 6 100 Square Degrees

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Hurley-Walker ◽  
John Morgan ◽  
Randall B. Wayth ◽  
Paul J. Hancock ◽  
Martin E. Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flux Density ◽  
Noise Level ◽  
Angular Resolution ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Radio Sources ◽  
Reduction Strategy ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Field Boundaries ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Finding Method

AbstractWe present the results of an approximately 6 100 deg2 104–196 MHz radio sky survey performed with the Murchison Widefield Array during instrument commissioning between 2012 September and 2012 December: the MWACS. The data were taken as meridian drift scans with two different 32-antenna sub-arrays that were available during the commissioning period. The survey covers approximately 20.5 h < RA < 8.5 h, − 58° < Dec < −14°over three frequency bands centred on 119, 150 and 180 MHz, with image resolutions of 6–3 arcmin. The catalogue has 3 arcmin angular resolution and a typical noise level of 40 mJy beam− 1, with reduced sensitivity near the field boundaries and bright sources. We describe the data reduction strategy, based upon mosaicked snapshots, flux density calibration, and source-finding method. We present a catalogue of flux density and spectral index measurements for 14 110 sources, extracted from the mosaic, 1 247 of which are sub-components of complexes of sources.

scholarly journals The MWA long baseline Epoch of reionisation survey—I. Improved source catalogue for the EoR 0 field

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Lynch ◽  
T. J. Galvin ◽  
J. L. B. Line ◽  
C. H. Jordan ◽  
C. M. Trott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Angular Resolution ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Calibration Model ◽  
Spectral Measurements ◽  
Long Baseline ◽  
Source Models ◽  
Extended Sources ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Foreground Calibration ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract One of the principal systematic constraints on the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) experiment is the accuracy of the foreground calibration model. Recent results have shown that highly accurate models of extended foreground sources, and including models for sources in both the primary beam and its sidelobes, are necessary for reducing foreground power. To improve the accuracy of the source models for the EoR fields observed by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), we conducted the MWA Long Baseline Epoch of Reionisation Survey (LoBES). This survey consists of multi-frequency observations of the main MWA EoR fields and their eight neighbouring fields using the MWA Phase II extended array. We present the results of the first half of this survey centred on the MWA EoR0 observing field (centred at RA (J2000) $0^\mathrm{h}$ , Dec (J2000) $-27^{\circ}$ ). This half of the survey covers an area of 3 069 degrees $^2$ , with an average rms of 2.1 mJy beam–1. The resulting catalogue contains a total of 80 824 sources, with 16 separate spectral measurements between 100 and 230 MHz, and spectral modelling for 78 $\%$ of these sources. Over this region we estimate that the catalogue is 90 $\%$ complete at 32 mJy, and 70 $\%$ complete at 10.5 mJy. The overall normalised source counts are found to be in good agreement with previous low-frequency surveys at similar sensitivities. Testing the performance of the new source models we measure lower residual rms values for peeled sources, particularly for extended sources, in a set of MWA Phase I data. The 2-dimensional power spectrum of these data residuals also show improvement on small angular scales—consistent with the better angular resolution of the LoBES catalogue. It is clear that the LoBES sky models improve upon the current sky model used by the Australian MWA EoR group for the EoR0 field.

scholarly journals LOFAR detection of a low-power radio halo in the galaxy cluster Abell 990

2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (1) ◽  
pp. 576-586
Author(s):  
D N Hoang ◽  
T W Shimwell ◽  
E Osinga ◽  
A Bonafede ◽  
M Brüggen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Galaxy Cluster ◽  
Clusters Of Galaxies ◽  
Radio Halo ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Major Merger ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Low X ◽  
Massive Clusters ◽  
Radio Power

ABSTRACT Radio haloes are extended (∼Mpc), steep spectrum sources found in the central region of dynamically disturbed clusters of galaxies. Only a handful of radio haloes have been reported to reside in galaxy clusters with a mass $M_{500}\lesssim 5\times 10^{14}\, \mathrm{ M}_\odot$. In this paper, we present a LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) 144 MHz detection of a radio halo in the galaxy cluster Abell 990 with a mass of $M_{500}=(4.9\pm 0.3)\times 10^{14}\, \mathrm{ M}_\odot$. The halo has a projected size of ${\sim} 700\, {\rm kpc}$ and a flux density of $20.2\pm 2.2\, {\rm mJy}$ or a radio power of $1.2\pm 0.1\times 10^{24}\, {\rm W\, Hz}^{-1}$ at the cluster redshift (z = 0.144) that makes it one of the two haloes with the lowest radio power detected to date. Our analysis of the emission from the cluster with Chandra archival data using dynamical indicators shows that the cluster is not undergoing a major merger but is a slightly disturbed system with a mean temperature of $5\, {\rm keV}$. The low X-ray luminosity of $L_{\mathrm{ X}}=(3.66\pm 0.08)\times 10^{44}\, {\rm erg\, s}^{-1}$ in the 0.1–2.4 keV band implies that the cluster is one of the least luminous systems known to host a radio halo. Our detection of the radio halo in Abell 990 opens the possibility of detecting many more haloes in poorly explored less massive clusters with low-frequency telescopes such as LOFAR, Murchison Widefield Array (MWA, Phase II), and upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT).

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