Lens searches with LOFAR

Invited talk at the workshop The first science with LOFAR surveys at the Lorentz Center in Leiden, NL, 10-12 December 2008

O. Wucknitz

Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121 Bonn, Germany

Abstract

After a brief introduction on gravitational lenses in general I argue why we want to use LOFAR surveys as a tool for future gravitational lens searches. Considering the serious de-scope, we have to adapt our strategies if we still want to be able to find a considerable number of new radio lenses. I argue for a relatively shallow half-sky survey at frequencies around 200MHz which is most efficient in terms of sources-per-time. Compared to the very ambitious deep surveys, such a NVSS-type survey with a resolution below 1arcsec (if international baselines are included) is much less challenging both in terms of calibration accuracy and dynamic range and data volume. I consider keeping the ungridded visibilities a requirement for a multi-purpose survey. For the proposed shallow half-sky survey this is not an overly demanding task.

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Script last modified on 7 Sep 2010
Last change to this data base entry on 18 Dec 2008