Apertif: Phased array feeds for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope: System overview and performance characteristics
Journal article, 2022
We describe the APERture Tile In Focus (Apertif) system, a phased array feed (PAF) upgrade of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope that transforms this telescope into a high-sensitivity, wide-field-of-view L-band imaging and transient survey instrument. Using novel PAF technology, up to 40 partially overlapping beams are formed on the sky simultaneously, significantly increasing the survey speed of the telescope. With this upgraded instrument, an imaging survey covering an area of 2300 deg2 is being performed that will deliver both continuum and spectral line datasets, of which the first data have been publicly released. In addition, a time domain transient and pulsar survey covering 15 000 deg2 is in progress. An overview of the Apertif science drivers, hardware, and software of the upgraded telescope is presented, along with its key performance characteristics.
Instrumentation: interferometers
Telescopes
Surveys
Author
W. van Cappellen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
T. Oosterloo
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Groningen
M. A.W. Verheijen
University of Groningen
E. A.K. Adams
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Groningen
B. Adebahr
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
R. Braun
SKA Organisation
K. M. Hess
University of Groningen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
H. Holties
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. M. van der Hulst
University of Groningen
B. Hut
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. Kooistra
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. van Leeuwen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
G. M. Loose
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. Morganti
University of Groningen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
V. A. Moss
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
The University of Sydney
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. Orrú
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Mark Ruiter
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. P. Schoenmakers
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
N. Vermaas
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
S. J. Wijnholds
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. S. Van Amesfoort
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
M. J. Arts
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. J. Attema
Netherlands eScience Center
L. Bakker
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
C. G. Bassa
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. E. Bast
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Pieter Benthem
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. Beukema
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. Blaauw
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
W.J.G. de Blok
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Cape Town
University of Groningen
M. Bouwhuis
National Institute for Subatomic Physics (NIKHEF)
R. H. Van Den Brink
Tricas Industrial Design & Engineering
L. Connor
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
A. H.W.M. Coolen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Sieds Damstra
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
G. van Diepen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. De Goei
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
H. Dénes
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
M. Drost
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
N. Ebbendorf
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
B. S. Frank
University of Cape Town
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
University of the Western Cape
D. W. Gardenier
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
M. Gerbers
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Y. G. Grange
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
T. Grit
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A.W. Gunst
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
N. Gupta
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Marianna Ivashina
Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks
G. I.G. Józsa
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
University of Bonn
G. H. Janssen
Radboud University
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. Koster
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
G. H. Kruithof
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
S. J. Kuindersma
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. M. Kutkin
Russian Academy of Sciences
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
D. M. Lucero
University of Groningen
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Y. Maan
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
F. M. Maccagni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
J. Van Der Marel
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Mika
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. Morawietz
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
H. Mulder
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. Mulder
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
M. J. Norden
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. R. Offringa
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Groningen
L. C. Oostrum
Netherlands eScience Center
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. E. Overeem
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Z. Paragi
Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium (JIVE)
H. J. Pepping
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. Petroff
McGill University
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
D. J. Pisano
West Virginia University
A.G. Polatidis
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
P. Prasad
ASML Netherlands BV
J. P. de Reijer
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. W. Romein
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. Schaap
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
G. Schoonderbeek
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. Schulz
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
D. Van Der Schuur
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. Sclocco
Netherlands eScience Center
J. Sluman
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
R. Smits
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
B. W. Stappers
University of Manchester
S. M. Straal
New York University Abu Dhabi
K. J.C. Stuurwold
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. Verstappen
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Groningen
D. Vohl
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
K. J. Wierenga
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. E.M. Woestenburg
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
A. W. Zanting
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
J. Ziemke
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
University of Oslo
Astronomy and Astrophysics
0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)
Vol. 658 A146Subject Categories
Other Computer and Information Science
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Software Engineering
DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/202141739