LOFAR and Radio-Loud AGN

Abstract

AbstractAt very low frequencies, the new pan-European radio telescope, LOFAR, is opening the last unexplored window of the electromagnetic spectrum for astrophysical studies. Operating at frequencies from 15 to 240 MHz, its superb sensitivity, high angular resolution, large field of view and flexible spectroscopic capabilities represent a dramatic improvement over previous facilities at these wavelengths. LOFAR will carry out a broad range of fundamental astrophysical studies in a number of key science topics including the formation and evolution of clusters, galaxies and black holes. In this contribution we describe some of the capabilities of LOFAR and present some recent results from the ongoing imaging efforts. We also discuss the impact of LOFAR on our studies of radio-loud AGN. Our recent study of the evolution of radio-loud AGN as a function of host stellar mass shows a clear increase in the fraction of lower mass galaxies which host radio-loud AGN at 1 < z < 2 while the fraction for higher mass galaxies remains the same. This shows that the upturn in the radio luminosity function is driven by increasing AGN activity among low mass galaxies at higher redshifts. New LOFAR observations will allow us to build statistically large samples at high redshifts to constrain this evolution for the different accretion modes of AGN.