LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 hrs 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; Rene P Breton; D Carbone; Y Cendes; Alex 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; David Mulcahy; E Orru; M Pandey-Pommier; L Pratley; E Rol; H J A Röttgering; A M M Scaife; A Shulevski; C A Sobey; Benjamin 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; Michael 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 hrs 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, Rene P Breton, D Carbone, Y Cendes, Alex 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, David Mulcahy, E Orru, M Pandey-Pommier, L Pratley, E Rol, H J A Röttgering, A M M Scaife, A Shulevski, C A Sobey, Benjamin 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, Michael 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

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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-minute snapshots, each covering 175 deg^2. 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 (+14.7, -3.7) x 10^-4 day^-1 deg^-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 x 10^-5 deg^-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and 10-minute 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 60 MHz as a function of observation duration.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2321-2342
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	456
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv2797
Publication status	Published - Nov 2015

Keywords

Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

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10.1093/mnras/stv2797

stv2797Final published version, 11.4 MB

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015arXiv151200014S

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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. (2015). LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 hrs 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

@article{a7052804e15e456bbca31fb4cd13f43c,

title = "LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 hrs 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-minute snapshots, each covering 175 deg^2. 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 (+14.7, -3.7) x 10^-4 day^-1 deg^-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 x 10^-5 deg^-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and 10-minute 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 60 MHz as a function of observation duration.",

keywords = "Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics",

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, {Rene P} and D Carbone and Y Cendes and Alex Clarke and S Corbel and {de Gasperin}, F and J Eisl{\"o}ffel and H Falcke and C Ferrari and J-M Grie{\ss}meier 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 David 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 Benjamin Stappers 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 Michael Garrett 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",

year = "2015",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stv2797",

language = "English",

volume = "456",

pages = "2321--2342",

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

issn = "1365-2966",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

}

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, A, Corbel, S, de Gasperin, F, Eislöffel, J, Falcke, H, Ferrari, C, Grießmeier, J-M, 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, B, 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, M, 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 2015, 'LOFAR MSSS: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 hrs 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: Detection of a low-frequency radio transient in 400 hrs 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, Rene P

AU - Carbone, D

AU - Cendes, Y

AU - Clarke, Alex

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, David

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, Benjamin

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, Michael

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 - 2015/11

Y1 - 2015/11

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-minute snapshots, each covering 175 deg^2. 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 (+14.7, -3.7) x 10^-4 day^-1 deg^-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 x 10^-5 deg^-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and 10-minute 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 60 MHz 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-minute snapshots, each covering 175 deg^2. 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 (+14.7, -3.7) x 10^-4 day^-1 deg^-2, and a transient surface density of 1.5 x 10^-5 deg^-2, at a 7.9-Jy limiting flux density and 10-minute 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 60 MHz as a function of observation duration.

KW - Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

KW - Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stv2797

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stv2797

M3 - Article

SN - 1365-2966

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 hrs of monitoring of the North Celestial Pole

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