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arXiv · 1709.06104

Real-time searches for fast transients with Apertif and LOFAR

Yogesh Maan·Joeri van Leeuwen
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Abstract

With the installation of a new phased array system called Apertif, the instantaneous field of view of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) has increased to 8.7$\,$deg$^2$. This system has turned the WSRT in to an highly effective telescope to conduct Fast Radio Burst (FRB) and pulsar surveys. To exploit this advantage, an advanced and real-time backend, called the Apertif Radio Transient System (ARTS), is being developed and commissioned at the WSRT. In addition to the real-time detection of FRBs, ARTS will localize the events to about 1/2600 of the field of view --- essential information for identifying the nature of FRBs. ARTS will also trigger real-time follow up with LOFAR of newly detected FRBs, to achieve localization at arcsecond precision. We review the upcoming time-domain surveys with Apertif, and present the current status of the ongoing commissioning of the time domain capabilities of Apertif.

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Yogesh Maan, Joeri van Leeuwen. 2017-09-18. Real-time searches for fast transients with Apertif and LOFAR. https://doi.org/10.23919/ursigass.2017.8105320

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