LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole

A. J. Stewart; R. P. Fender; J. W. Broderick; T. E. Hassall; T. Muñoz-Darias; A. Rowlinson; J. D. Swinbank; T. D. Staley; G. J. Molenaar; B. Scheers; T. L. Grobler; M. Pietka; G. Heald; J. P. McKean; M. E. Bell; A. Bonafede; R. P. Breton; D. Carbone; Y. Cendes; A. O. Clarke; S. Corbel; F. De Gasperin; J. Eislöffel; H. Falcke; C. Ferrari; J. M. Grießmeier; M. J. Hardcastle; V. Heesen; J. W.T. Hessels; A. Horneffer; M. Iacobelli; P. Jonker; A. Karastergiou; G. Kokotanekov; V. I. Kondratiev; M. Kuniyoshi; C. J. Law; J. van Leeuwen; S. Markoff; J. C.A. Miller-Jones; D. Mulcahy; E. Orru; M. Pandey-Pommier; L. Pratley; E. Rol; H. J.A. Röttgering; A. M.M. Scaife; A. Shulevski; C. A. Sobey; B. W. Stappers; C. Tasse; A. J. van der Horst; S. van Velzen; R. J. van Weeren; R. A.M.J. Wijers; R. Wijnands; M. Wise; P. Zarka; A. Alexov; J. Anderson; A. Asgekar; I. M. Avruch; M. J. Bentum; G. Bernardi; P. Best; F. Breitling; M. Brüggen; H. R. Butcher; B. Ciardi; J. E. Conway; A. Corstanje; E. de Geus; A. Deller; S. Duscha; W. Frieswijk; M. A. Garrett; A. W. Gunst; M. P. Van Haarlem; M. Hoeft; J. Hörandel; E. Juette; G. Kuper; M. Loose; P. Maat; R. McFadden; D. McKay-Bukowski; J. Moldon; H. Munk; M. J. Norden; H. Paas; A. G. Polatidis; D. Schwarz; J. Sluman; O. Smirnov; M. Steinmetz; S. Thoudam; M. C. Toribio; R. Vermeulen; C. Vocks; S. J. Wijnholds; O. Wucknitz; S. Yatawatta

doi:10.1093/mnras/stv2797

LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole

A. J. Stewart^*, R. P. Fender, J. W. Broderick, T. E. Hassall, T. Muñoz-Darias, A. Rowlinson, J. D. Swinbank, T. D. Staley, G. J. Molenaar, B. Scheers, T. L. Grobler, M. Pietka, G. Heald, J. P. McKean, M. E. Bell, A. Bonafede, R. P. Breton, D. Carbone, Y. Cendes, A. O. ClarkeS. Corbel, F. De Gasperin, J. Eislöffel, H. Falcke, C. Ferrari, J. M. Grießmeier, M. J. Hardcastle, V. Heesen, J. W.T. Hessels, A. Horneffer, M. Iacobelli, P. Jonker, A. Karastergiou, G. Kokotanekov, V. I. Kondratiev, M. Kuniyoshi, C. J. Law, J. van Leeuwen, S. Markoff, J. C.A. Miller-Jones, D. Mulcahy, E. Orru, M. Pandey-Pommier, L. Pratley, E. Rol, H. J.A. Röttgering, A. M.M. Scaife, A. Shulevski, C. A. Sobey, B. W. Stappers, C. Tasse, A. J. van der Horst, S. van Velzen, R. J. van Weeren, R. A.M.J. Wijers, R. Wijnands, M. Wise, P. Zarka, A. Alexov, J. Anderson, A. Asgekar, I. M. Avruch, M. J. Bentum, G. Bernardi, P. Best, F. Breitling, M. Brüggen, H. R. Butcher, B. Ciardi, J. E. Conway, A. Corstanje, E. de Geus, A. Deller, S. Duscha, W. Frieswijk, M. A. Garrett, A. W. Gunst, M. P. Van Haarlem, M. Hoeft, J. Hörandel, E. Juette, G. Kuper, M. Loose, P. Maat, R. McFadden, D. McKay-Bukowski, J. Moldon, H. Munk, M. J. Norden, H. Paas, A. G. Polatidis, D. Schwarz, J. Sluman, O. Smirnov, M. Steinmetz, S. Thoudam, M. C. Toribio, R. Vermeulen, C. Vocks, S. J. Wijnholds, O. Wucknitz, S. Yatawatta

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

We present the results of a four-month campaign searching for low-frequency radio transients near the North Celestial Pole with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), as part of the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS). The data were recorded between 2011 December and 2012 April and comprised 2149 11-min snapshots, each covering 175 deg². We have found one convincing candidate astrophysical transient, with a duration of a few minutes and a flux density at 60 MHz of 15-25 Jy. The transient does not repeat and has no obvious optical or high-energy counterpart, as a result of which its nature is unclear. The detection of this event implies a transient rate at 60 MHz of 3.9_-3.7^+14.7 × 10^-4 d^-1 deg^-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 × 10^-5 deg^-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and ~10-min time-scale. The campaign data were also searched for transients at a range of other time-scales, from 0.5 to 297 min, which allowed us to place a range of limits on transient rates at 60MHz as a function of observation duration.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2321-2342
Number of pages	22
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	456
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv2797
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2016

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Stewart, A. J., Fender, R. P., Broderick, J. W., Hassall, T. E., Muñoz-Darias, T., Rowlinson, A., Swinbank, J. D., Staley, T. D., Molenaar, G. J., Scheers, B., Grobler, T. L., Pietka, M., Heald, G., McKean, J. P., Bell, M. E., Bonafede, A., Breton, R. P., Carbone, D., Cendes, Y., ... Yatawatta, S. (2016). LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 456(3), 2321-2342. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv2797

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title = "LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole",

abstract = "We present the results of a four-month campaign searching for low-frequency radio transients near the North Celestial Pole with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), as part of the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS). The data were recorded between 2011 December and 2012 April and comprised 2149 11-min snapshots, each covering 175 deg2. We have found one convincing candidate astrophysical transient, with a duration of a few minutes and a flux density at 60 MHz of 15-25 Jy. The transient does not repeat and has no obvious optical or high-energy counterpart, as a result of which its nature is unclear. The detection of this event implies a transient rate at 60 MHz of 3.9-3.7+14.7 × 10-4 d-1 deg-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 × 10-5 deg-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and ~10-min time-scale. The campaign data were also searched for transients at a range of other time-scales, from 0.5 to 297 min, which allowed us to place a range of limits on transient rates at 60MHz as a function of observation duration.",

keywords = "Instrumentation: interferometers, Radio continuum: general, Techniques: image processing",

author = "Stewart, {A. J.} and Fender, {R. P.} and Broderick, {J. W.} and Hassall, {T. E.} and T. Mu{\~n}oz-Darias and A. Rowlinson and Swinbank, {J. D.} and Staley, {T. D.} and Molenaar, {G. J.} and B. Scheers and Grobler, {T. L.} and M. Pietka and G. Heald and McKean, {J. P.} and Bell, {M. E.} and A. Bonafede and Breton, {R. P.} and D. Carbone and Y. Cendes and Clarke, {A. O.} and S. Corbel and {De Gasperin}, F. and J. Eisl{\"o}ffel and H. Falcke and C. Ferrari and Grie{\ss}meier, {J. M.} and Hardcastle, {M. J.} and V. Heesen and Hessels, {J. W.T.} and A. Horneffer and M. Iacobelli and P. Jonker and A. Karastergiou and G. Kokotanekov and Kondratiev, {V. I.} and M. Kuniyoshi and Law, {C. J.} and {van Leeuwen}, J. and S. Markoff and Miller-Jones, {J. C.A.} and D. Mulcahy and E. Orru and M. Pandey-Pommier and L. Pratley and E. Rol and R{\"o}ttgering, {H. J.A.} and Scaife, {A. M.M.} and A. Shulevski and Sobey, {C. A.} and Stappers, {B. W.} and C. Tasse and {van der Horst}, {A. J.} and {van Velzen}, S. and {van Weeren}, {R. J.} and Wijers, {R. A.M.J.} and R. Wijnands and M. Wise and P. Zarka and A. Alexov and J. Anderson and A. Asgekar and Avruch, {I. M.} and Bentum, {M. J.} and G. Bernardi and P. Best and F. Breitling and M. Br{\"u}ggen and Butcher, {H. R.} and B. Ciardi and Conway, {J. E.} and A. Corstanje and {de Geus}, E. and A. Deller and S. Duscha and W. Frieswijk and Garrett, {M. A.} and Gunst, {A. W.} and {Van Haarlem}, {M. P.} and M. Hoeft and J. H{\"o}randel and E. Juette and G. Kuper and M. Loose and P. Maat and R. McFadden and D. McKay-Bukowski and J. Moldon and H. Munk and Norden, {M. J.} and H. Paas and Polatidis, {A. G.} and D. Schwarz and J. Sluman and O. Smirnov and M. Steinmetz and S. Thoudam and Toribio, {M. C.} and R. Vermeulen and C. Vocks and Wijnholds, {S. J.} and O. Wucknitz and S. Yatawatta",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 The Authors.",

year = "2016",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stv2797",

language = "English",

volume = "456",

pages = "2321--2342",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

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Stewart, AJ, Fender, RP, Broderick, JW, Hassall, TE, Muñoz-Darias, T, Rowlinson, A, Swinbank, JD, Staley, TD, Molenaar, GJ, Scheers, B, Grobler, TL, Pietka, M, Heald, G, McKean, JP, Bell, ME, Bonafede, A, Breton, RP, Carbone, D, Cendes, Y, Clarke, AO, Corbel, S, De Gasperin, F, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Ferrari, C, Grießmeier, JM, Hardcastle, MJ, Heesen, V, Hessels, JWT, Horneffer, A, Iacobelli, M, Jonker, P, Karastergiou, A, Kokotanekov, G, Kondratiev, VI, Kuniyoshi, M, Law, CJ, van Leeuwen, J, Markoff, S, Miller-Jones, JCA, Mulcahy, D, Orru, E, Pandey-Pommier, M, Pratley, L, Rol, E, Röttgering, HJA, Scaife, AMM, Shulevski, A, Sobey, CA, Stappers, BW, Tasse, C, van der Horst, AJ, van Velzen, S, van Weeren, RJ, Wijers, RAMJ, Wijnands, R, Wise, M, Zarka, P, Alexov, A, Anderson, J, Asgekar, A, Avruch, IM, Bentum, MJ, Bernardi, G, Best, P, Breitling, F, Brüggen, M, Butcher, HR, Ciardi, B, Conway, JE, Corstanje, A, de Geus, E, Deller, A, Duscha, S, Frieswijk, W, Garrett, MA, Gunst, AW, Van Haarlem, MP, Hoeft, M, Hörandel, J, Juette, E, Kuper, G, Loose, M, Maat, P, McFadden, R, McKay-Bukowski, D, Moldon, J, Munk, H, Norden, MJ, Paas, H, Polatidis, AG, Schwarz, D, Sluman, J, Smirnov, O, Steinmetz, M, Thoudam, S, Toribio, MC, Vermeulen, R, Vocks, C, Wijnholds, SJ, Wucknitz, O & Yatawatta, S 2016, 'LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 456, no. 3, pp. 2321-2342. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv2797

TY - JOUR

T1 - LOFAR MSSS

T2 - Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole

AU - Stewart, A. J.

AU - Fender, R. P.

AU - Broderick, J. W.

AU - Hassall, T. E.

AU - Muñoz-Darias, T.

AU - Rowlinson, A.

AU - Swinbank, J. D.

AU - Staley, T. D.

AU - Molenaar, G. J.

AU - Scheers, B.

AU - Grobler, T. L.

AU - Pietka, M.

AU - Heald, G.

AU - McKean, J. P.

AU - Bell, M. E.

AU - Bonafede, A.

AU - Breton, R. P.

AU - Carbone, D.

AU - Cendes, Y.

AU - Clarke, A. O.

AU - Corbel, S.

AU - De Gasperin, F.

AU - Eislöffel, J.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Ferrari, C.

AU - Grießmeier, J. M.

AU - Hardcastle, M. J.

AU - Heesen, V.

AU - Hessels, J. W.T.

AU - Horneffer, A.

AU - Iacobelli, M.

AU - Jonker, P.

AU - Karastergiou, A.

AU - Kokotanekov, G.

AU - Kondratiev, V. I.

AU - Kuniyoshi, M.

AU - Law, C. J.

AU - van Leeuwen, J.

AU - Markoff, S.

AU - Miller-Jones, J. C.A.

AU - Mulcahy, D.

AU - Orru, E.

AU - Pandey-Pommier, M.

AU - Pratley, L.

AU - Rol, E.

AU - Röttgering, H. J.A.

AU - Scaife, A. M.M.

AU - Shulevski, A.

AU - Sobey, C. A.

AU - Stappers, B. W.

AU - Tasse, C.

AU - van der Horst, A. J.

AU - van Velzen, S.

AU - van Weeren, R. J.

AU - Wijers, R. A.M.J.

AU - Wijnands, R.

AU - Wise, M.

AU - Zarka, P.

AU - Alexov, A.

AU - Anderson, J.

AU - Asgekar, A.

AU - Avruch, I. M.

AU - Bentum, M. J.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Best, P.

AU - Breitling, F.

AU - Brüggen, M.

AU - Butcher, H. R.

AU - Ciardi, B.

AU - Conway, J. E.

AU - Corstanje, A.

AU - de Geus, E.

AU - Deller, A.

AU - Duscha, S.

AU - Frieswijk, W.

AU - Garrett, M. A.

AU - Gunst, A. W.

AU - Van Haarlem, M. P.

AU - Hoeft, M.

AU - Hörandel, J.

AU - Juette, E.

AU - Kuper, G.

AU - Loose, M.

AU - Maat, P.

AU - McFadden, R.

AU - McKay-Bukowski, D.

AU - Moldon, J.

AU - Munk, H.

AU - Norden, M. J.

AU - Paas, H.

AU - Polatidis, A. G.

AU - Schwarz, D.

AU - Sluman, J.

AU - Smirnov, O.

AU - Steinmetz, M.

AU - Thoudam, S.

AU - Toribio, M. C.

AU - Vermeulen, R.

AU - Vocks, C.

AU - Wijnholds, S. J.

AU - Wucknitz, O.

AU - Yatawatta, S.

PY - 2016/3/1

Y1 - 2016/3/1

N2 - We present the results of a four-month campaign searching for low-frequency radio transients near the North Celestial Pole with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), as part of the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS). The data were recorded between 2011 December and 2012 April and comprised 2149 11-min snapshots, each covering 175 deg2. We have found one convincing candidate astrophysical transient, with a duration of a few minutes and a flux density at 60 MHz of 15-25 Jy. The transient does not repeat and has no obvious optical or high-energy counterpart, as a result of which its nature is unclear. The detection of this event implies a transient rate at 60 MHz of 3.9-3.7+14.7 × 10-4 d-1 deg-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 × 10-5 deg-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and ~10-min time-scale. The campaign data were also searched for transients at a range of other time-scales, from 0.5 to 297 min, which allowed us to place a range of limits on transient rates at 60MHz as a function of observation duration.

AB - We present the results of a four-month campaign searching for low-frequency radio transients near the North Celestial Pole with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), as part of the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS). The data were recorded between 2011 December and 2012 April and comprised 2149 11-min snapshots, each covering 175 deg2. We have found one convincing candidate astrophysical transient, with a duration of a few minutes and a flux density at 60 MHz of 15-25 Jy. The transient does not repeat and has no obvious optical or high-energy counterpart, as a result of which its nature is unclear. The detection of this event implies a transient rate at 60 MHz of 3.9-3.7+14.7 × 10-4 d-1 deg-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 × 10-5 deg-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and ~10-min time-scale. The campaign data were also searched for transients at a range of other time-scales, from 0.5 to 297 min, which allowed us to place a range of limits on transient rates at 60MHz as a function of observation duration.

KW - Instrumentation: interferometers

KW - Radio continuum: general

KW - Techniques: image processing

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964555627&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stv2797

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stv2797

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 456

SP - 2321

EP - 2342

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 3

ER -

LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 h of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole

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