A deep survey of the low-surface-brightness radio sky

TL;DR

This paper presents ATLBS, a sensitive wide-field radio survey that explores low-surface-brightness radio sources, aiming to understand their size distribution, evolution, and impact on cosmic structures.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of low-surface-brightness radio sources, revealing their size distribution and evolution at high redshifts, with implications for future deep radio surveys.

Findings

Quantified the distribution of angular sizes at low surface brightness levels

Identified a significant population of low-power radio galaxies at redshifts 1-3

Provided insights into AGN feedback during black hole growth phases

Abstract

We have made a radio survey--the Australia Telescope Low Brightness Survey (ATLBS)--of 8.4 square degrees sky area, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array in the 20-cm band, in an observing mode designed to provide wide-field images with exceptional sensitivity in surface brightness, and thereby explore a new parameter space in radio source populations. The goals of this survey are to quantify the distribution in angular sizes, particularly at weak surface brightness levels: this has implications for the confusion in deep surveys with the SKA. The survey is expected to lead to a census of the radio emission associated with low-power radio galaxies at redshifts 1-3, without any missing extended emission, and hence a study of the cosmic evolution of low-power radio galaxies to higher redshift and a comprehensive study of the AGN feedback during the intense black hole growth phase during this redshift range.