LOFAR in Australia

The opportunity has arisen for Australia to participate in the LOFAR project (LOw Frequency ARray). The ATNF, in collaboration with the Office of Science and Innovation, Department of the Premier and Cabinet in the Government of Western Australia (WA), recently submitted a joint proposal to host LOFAR in the Mid West region of WA. The proposed site is one of three areas short-listed worldwide as a potential site for LOFAR. The advantages of the Australian site include superb radio-quietness, a Southern Hemisphere location, and excellent land accessibility leading to optimum placement of array-stations.

Growing interest in LOFAR science in Australia has led to two recent scientific meetings: Detecting the Epoch of Re-ionization, held at the ATNF on 18 December 2002, and The Low Frequency Universe, at the University of Sydney on 30 - 31 January 2003.

From 2 - 9 February 2003, a delegation from the LOFAR Consortium visited Australia to discuss possible collaborations and Australian involvement in LOFAR with Australian scientists, engineers and policy managers, and to visit the Western Australian potential site and discuss siting issues with the Western Australian Government.

The LOFAR delegation at the Parkes Observatory.

The ATNF and the WA Government are now preparing final siting proposal documentation. The LOFAR International Steering Committee plan to choose a site for LOFAR in May 2003 and the telescope is scheduled to begin initial operations in 2006. For further information on LOFAR see www.lofar.org.

Michelle Storey
CSIRO LOFAR Project Coordinator
(Michelle.Storey@csiro.au)