Abstract
The low frequency array (LOFAR) is a phased array interferometer currently consisting of 13 international stations across Europe and 38 stations surrounding a central hub in the Netherlands. The instrument operates in the frequency range of ~10–240 MHz and is used for a variety of astrophysical science cases. While it is not heliophysics or space weather dedicated, a new project entitled “LOFAR for Space Weather” (LOFAR4SW) aims at designing a system upgrade to allow the entire array to observe the Sun, heliosphere, Earth’s ionosphere, and Jupiter throughout its observing window. This will allow the instrument to operate as a space weather observing platform, facilitating both space weather science and operations. Part of this design study aims to survey the existing space weather infrastructure operating at radio frequencies and show how LOFAR4SW can advance the current state-of-the-art in this field. In this paper, we survey radio instrumentation and facilities that currently operate in space weather science and/or operations, including instruments involved in solar, heliospheric, and ionospheric studies. We furthermore include an overview of the major space weather service providers in operation today and the current state-of-the-art in the radio data they use and provide routinely. The aim is to compare LOFAR4SW to the existing radio research infrastructure in space weather and show how it may advance both space weather science and operations in the radio domain in the near future.
Highlights
The low frequency array (LOFAR) is a phased array interferometer currently consisting of 13 international stations spread across seven European countries with a central hub of 38 stations in the Netherlands (van Haarlem et al, 2013)
This paper aims at such a survey and attempts to define how radio data is used in space weather, the current instrumentation in existence, which space weather service providers use radio data, the developments and state-of-the-art in space weather radio observations, and how a fully built LOFAR4SW fits into this landscape of existing facilities
In this paper we reviewed the space weather phenomena observable in the radio domain, the space weather indices to which radio observations contribute, and the techniques that are employed at radio wavelengths in the observation of space weather phenomena
Summary
The low frequency array (LOFAR) is a phased array interferometer currently consisting of 13 international stations spread across seven European countries with a central hub of 38 stations in the Netherlands (van Haarlem et al, 2013). The system is operated by the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), observes in the frequency range of ~10–240 MHz, and is used for a variety of astrophysical science use cases, including research into the epoch of reionization. As part of the design study, a survey was performed to review the current and planned use of radio instrumentation in space weather The aim of this survey is to define the relationship of LOFAR4SW to the overall landscape of radio space weather research infrastructure. This paper aims at such a survey and attempts to define how radio data is used in space weather (for both science and operations), the current instrumentation in existence, which space weather service providers use radio data, the developments and state-of-the-art in space weather radio observations, and how a fully built LOFAR4SW fits into this landscape of existing facilities.
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