Early Pulsar Observations with LOFAR

TL;DR

This paper highlights early pulsar observations with LOFAR, demonstrating its potential to revolutionize low-frequency radio astronomy with advanced capabilities even during initial commissioning.

Contribution

It presents initial pulsar observation results with LOFAR, showcasing its innovative multi-beaming and wide-field capabilities during early deployment.

Findings

LOFAR is capable of early pulsar detection.

LOFAR's multi-beaming enhances survey efficiency.

Initial results indicate promising future for low-frequency radio astronomy.

Abstract

This contribution to the proceedings of "A New Golden Age for Radio Astronomy" is simply intended to give some of the highlights from pulsar observations with LOFAR at the time of its official opening: June 12th, 2010. These observations illustrate that, though LOFAR is still under construction and astronomical commissioning, it is already starting to deliver on its promise to revolutionize radio astronomy in the low-frequency regime. These observations also demonstrate how LOFAR has many "next-generation" capabilities, such as wide-field multi-beaming, that will be vital to open a new Golden Age in radio astronomy through the Square Kilometer Array and its precursors.