1. LOFAR Low-band Antenna Observations of the 3C 295 and Boötes Fields: Source Counts and Ultra-steep Spectrum Sources
- Author
-
Stappers, Benjamin, {van Weeren}, R J, {Williams}, W L, {Tasse}, C, {Röttgering}, H J A, {Rafferty}, D A, {van der Tol}, S, {Heald}, G, {White}, G J, {Shulevski}, A, {Best}, P, {Intema}, H T, {Bhatnagar}, S, {Reich}, W, {Steinmetz}, M, {van Velzen}, S, {En{\ss}lin}, T A, {Prandoni}, I, {de Gasperin}, F, {Jamrozy}, M, {Brunetti}, G, {Jarvis}, M J, {McKean}, J P, {Wise}, M W, {Ferrari}, C, {Harwood}, J, {Oonk}, J B R, {Hoeft}, M, {Kunert-Bajraszewska}, M, {Horellou}, C, {Wucknitz}, O, {Bonafede}, A, {Mohan}, N R, {Scaife}, A M M, {Klöckner}, H-R, {van Bemmel}, I M, {Merloni}, A, {Chyzy}, K T, {Engels}, D, {Falcke}, H, {Pandey-Pommier}, M, {Alexov}, A, {Anderson}, J, {Avruch}, I M, {Beck}, R, {Bell}, M E, {Bentum}, M J, {Bernardi}, G, {Breitling}, F, {Broderick}, J, {Brouw}, W N, {Brüggen}, M, {Butcher}, H R, {Ciardi}, B, {de Geus}, E, {de Vos}, M, {Deller}, A, {Duscha}, S, {Eislöffel}, J, {Fallows}, R A, {Frieswijk}, W, Garrett, Michael, {Grie{\ss}meier}, J, {Gunst}, A W, {Hamaker}, J P, {Hassall}, T E, {Hörandel}, J, {van der Horst}, A, {Iacobelli}, M, {Jackson}, N J, {Juette}, E, {Kondratiev}, V I, {Kuniyoshi}, M, {Maat}, P, {Mann}, G, {McKay-Bukowski}, D, {Mevius}, M, {Morganti}, R, {Munk}, H, {Offringa}, A R, {Orrù}, E, {Paas}, H, {Pandey}, V N, {Pietka}, G, {Pizzo}, R, {Polatidis}, A G, {Renting}, A, {Rowlinson}, A, {Schwarz}, D, {Serylak}, M, {Sluman}, J, {Smirnov}, O, {Stappers}, B W, {Stewart}, A, {Swinbank}, J, {Tagger}, M, {Tang}, Y, {Thoudam}, S, {Toribio}, C, {Vermeulen}, R, {Vocks}, C, {Zarka}, P, Astronomy, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), Harvard University [Cambridge]-Smithsonian Institution, Leiden Observatory [Leiden], Universiteit Leiden [Leiden], SKA South Africa, Ska South Africa, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Galaxies, Etoiles, Physique, Instrumentation (GEPI), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics [PennState], Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State System-Penn State System, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Stanford University, University of Edinburgh, Department of Computer Science and Automation [Bangalore] (CSA), Indian Institute of Science [Bangalore] (IISc Bangalore), Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIFR), Charles Darwin University, Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek (AI PANNEKOEK), University of Amsterdam [Amsterdam] (UvA), Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg (TLS), Argelander-Institut für Astronomie (AlfA), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Jacobs University [Bremen], School of Physics and Astronomy [Southampton], University of Southampton, Radboud university [Nijmegen], Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL), École normale supérieure - Lyon (ENS Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS), Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Moléculaire (LCPM), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Kapteyn Astronomical Institute [Groningen], University of Groningen [Groningen], Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Medstar Research Institute, Institute of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay (USN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université d'Orléans (UO), Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers en région Centre (OSUC), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester [Manchester], Dipartimento di Matematica 'Guido Castelnuovo' [Roma I] (Sapienza University of Rome), Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome], Centre de Mathématiques Laurent Schwartz (CMLS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X), Ruhr-Universität Bochum [Bochum], University of Oulu, Applied Stochastics (IMAPP), Oxford Astrophysics, University of Oxford [Oxford], Interactions Son Musique Mouvement, Sciences et Technologies de la Musique et du Son (STMS), Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics [Boulder] (LASP), University of Colorado [Boulder], Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, ANR-09-JCJC-0001,OPALES(2009), High Energy Astrophys. & Astropart. Phys (API, FNWI), Van Weeren, R.J., Williams, W.L., Tasse, C., Röttgering, H.J.A., Rafferty, D.A., Van Der Tol, S., Heald, G., White, G.J., Shulevski, A., Best, P., Intema, H.T., Bhatnagar, S., Reich, W., Steinmetz, M., Van Velzen, S., Enßlin, T.A., Prandoni, I., De Gasperin, F., Jamrozy, M., Brunetti, G., Jarvis, M.J., McKean, J.P., Wise, M.W., Ferrari, C., Harwood, J., Oonk, J.B.R., Hoeft, M., Kunert-Bajraszewska, M., Horellou, C., Wucknitz, O., Bonafede, A., Mohan, N.R., Scaife, A.M.M., Klöckner, H.-R., Van Bemmel, I.M., Merloni, A., Chyzy, K.T., Engels, D., Falcke, H., Pandey-Pommier, M., Alexov, A., Anderson, J., Avruch, I.M., Beck, R., Bell, M.E., Bentum, M.J., Bernardi, G., Breitling, F., Broderick, J., Brouw, W.N., Brüggen, M., Butcher, H.R., Ciardi, B., De Geus, E., De Vos, M., Deller, A., Duscha, S., Eislöffel, J., Fallows, R.A., Frieswijk, W., Garrett, M.A., Grießmeier, J., Gunst, A.W., Hamaker, J.P., Hassall, T.E., Hörandel, J., Van Der Horst, A., Iacobelli, M., Jackson, N.J., Juette, E., Kondratiev, V.I., Kuniyoshi, M., Maat, P., Mann, G., McKay-Bukowski, D., Mevius, M., Morganti, R., Munk, H., Offringa, A.R., Orrù, E., Paas, H., Pandey, V.N., Pietka, G., Pizzo, R., Polatidis, A.G., Renting, A., Rowlinson, A., Schwarz, D., Serylak, M., Sluman, J., Smirnov, O., Stappers, B.W., Stewart, A., Swinbank, J., Tagger, M., Tang, Y., Thoudam, S., Toribio, C., Vermeulen, R., Vocks, C., Zarka, P., Harvard University-Smithsonian Institution, Universiteit Leiden, Radboud University [Nijmegen], École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université d'Orléans (UO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' = Sapienza University [Rome] (UNIROMA), École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and University of Oxford
- Subjects
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) ,general, surveys [radio continuum] ,EWI-25425 ,Radio galaxy ,Astronomy ,techniques ,galaxies: active ,radio continuum: general ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics ,METIS-309728 ,surveys ,survey ,Source counts ,Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics ,Physics ,Spectral index ,[SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,BOOTES ,LOFAR ,Astronomy and Astrophysic ,Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies ,Redshift ,interferometric [techniques] ,IR-93230 ,Space and Planetary Science ,[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,techniques: interferometric ,Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) ,interferometric ,active [galaxies] ,ComputingMethodologies_DOCUMENTANDTEXTPROCESSING ,Spectral energy distribution ,general [radio continuum] ,Noise (radio) ,Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics - Abstract
We present LOFAR Low Band observations of the Bootes and 3C295 fields. Our images made at 34, 46, and 62 MHz reach noise levels of 12, 8, and 5 mJy beam$^{-1}$, making them the deepest images ever obtained in this frequency range. In total, we detect between 300 and 400 sources in each of these images, covering an area of 17 to 52 deg$^{2}$. From the observations we derive Euclidean-normalized differential source counts. The 62 MHz source counts agree with previous GMRT 153 MHz and VLA 74 MHz differential source counts, scaling with a spectral index of $-0.7$. We find that a spectral index scaling of $-0.5$ is required to match up the LOFAR 34 MHz source counts. This result is also in agreement with source counts from the 38 MHz 8C survey, indicating that the average spectral index of radio sources flattens towards lower frequencies. We also find evidence for spectral flattening using the individual flux measurements of sources between 34 and 1400 MHz and by calculating the spectral index averaged over the source population. To select ultra-steep spectrum ($\alpha < -1.1$) radio sources, that could be associated with massive high redshift radio galaxies, we compute spectral indices between 62 MHz, 153 MHz and 1.4 GHz for sources in the Bo\"otes field. We cross-correlate these radio sources with optical and infrared catalogues and fit the spectral energy distribution to obtain photometric redshifts. We find that most of these ultra-steep spectrum sources are located in the $ 0.7 \lesssim z \lesssim 2.5$ range., Comment: 26 pages, 20 figures, ApJ in press
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF