Prof. Huub Rottgering

The Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) is a pan-European radio telescope whose massive data taking and processing capabilities make it an unprecedented powerful instrument for carrying out the deepest and widest radio surveys at low radio frequencies. Over the last years we have addressed important issues related to the analysis and calibration of the radio data so that we can now make thermal noise limited maps at low frequencies. The resulting wide and deep maps enable studies of a wide range of scientific topics ranging from (i) shocks in merging clusters, (ii) radio feedback processes, (iii) star formation in distant galaxies and (iv) the most distant radio galaxies, close to the epoch of reionisation. In this talk I will first discuss our solutions to the main technical challenges. Secondly, scientific highlights will be given related to these 4 topics.