Radio Continuum Surveys with Square Kilometre Array Pathfinders

TL;DR

This paper reviews upcoming radio continuum surveys with various next-generation telescopes, highlighting their science goals, technical challenges, and the importance of coordinated efforts to study galaxy evolution and cosmology.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current and planned radio surveys with SKA pathfinders, emphasizing new techniques and coordination strategies for maximizing scientific output.

Findings

Multiple radio surveys are being developed with diverse instruments.

Coordination between surveys enhances scientific returns.

Technical challenges are being addressed to optimize survey effectiveness.

Abstract

In the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP (Australia), eMERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR (The Netherlands), Meerkat (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective, the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and refining existing ones. Here we describe these projects, their science goals, and the technical challenges which are being addressed to maximise the science return.