LOFAR - A new experiment to record radio emission from cosmic particles

Abstract

At present, a new digital radio observatory is under construction in the Netherlands and in Europe, the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) [1]. It is designed as a multi-sensor network to assist scientists in the fields of astronomy, geophysics, and agriculture. The main focus of the astronomy community is to observe the radio Universe in the frequency range from 30 to 240 MHz. The astronomical part of LOFAR is organized in several key science projects, namely: cosmology (the epoch of re-ionization), wide-field surveys, transient detection, cosmic magnetism, the sun, and cosmic rays. The aim of the latter is the detection of radio emission from particle cascades, originating from extremely high-energy particles from outer space. Two main lines of research are followed: (i) the measurement of radio emission from extensive air showers, generated by interactions of high-energy cosmic rays in the atmosphere and (ii) the detection of radio emission of particle cascades in the Moon, originating from ultra high-energy neutrinos and cosmic rays interacting with the lunar surface. The present article gives a short introduction to the key science project “cosmic rays”.