LOFAR specifications [following 2007 descope]

Frequency Range Low Band 30-80 MHz(a)
  High Band 110-240 MHz
Number of Antenna’s Low Band 4225
  High Band (4x4 tiles) 2500
Polarization   Full Stokes
Configuration Core 2600 antenna’s (both low & high bands)
min. 18 stations
baselines approx. 100m-2 km
  Extended Array 2600 antenna’s (both low & high bands)
min. 18 stations
baselines up to 100 km(a)
  European Stations 1500 antenna’s (both low & high bands)
min. 8 stations
baselines up to 1000 km
Digitized Bandwidth In the following ranges 10-90 MHz, 110-190 MHz or 210-290 MHz 100 MHz bandwidth
  In 170-230 MHz range 80 MHz bandwidth
Expected Processing Capacity Full Array Imaging Mode(Sum of Bandwidth of all Beams) 32 MHz

(a) All numbers refer to Initial Array – extension to lower frequency (10-30 MHz) and longer baselines ~400 km are possible future extensions

Frequency dependent Array Performance (Initial array)

Frequency Point Source Sensitivity(b) Effective Collecting Area Beam Size
  Core Extended Array Core Extended Array Core Extended Array
30 MHz to follow (c) ~20 mJy 2.5x104 m2 5.0x104 m2 14’ 20.6”
75 MHz to follow (c) 11.2 mJy 4.6x103 m2 9.3x103 m2 5.5’ 8.3”
120 MHz to follow (c) 0.4 mJy 2.2x104 m2 4.3x104 m2 3.4’ 5.2”
200 MHz to follow (c) 0.4 mJy 1.0x104 m2 2.0x104 m2 1.7’ 3.2”

(b) Sensitivity quoted for 1 hour integration time, 2 polarizations and 4 MHz bandwidth

(c) Numbers to follow shortly - temporarily removed to prevent confusion

 


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