Radio Astronomy driving new competences and innovation on the European scale

July 16, 2019

LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) is the world’s largest and most sensitive low frequency radio telescope. It was designed, built, and is now operated by ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy. LOFAR’s reach now spans Europe – from Ireland to Poland, with the newest LOFAR antenna station being delivered to Ventspils University of Applied Sciences in Latvia.


It might be surprising that a niche discipline such as Radio Astronomy is a driver for new competences and innovation on the European scale. Moreover, this discipline sets a template for future fundamental science to help structure ‘perfecting the European endeavour’ as Dutch Prime Minister Rutte put it so eloquently in June 2018.


Here we propose that LOFAR is a prime example of how state-of-the-art facilities leads to the sharing and building of competencies: it is one of today’s major success stories of research infrastructures on a European scale.


ASTRON is a world-leading institute in the development, exploitation, and scientific use of radio telescopes. Building world-leading radio telescope instrumentation is rarely a task that one institute or even one country can achieve. It requires collaboration, enduring relationships and knowledge exchange: moreover, as it is fundamental science with expensive facilities, it must deliver benefits for all parties involved.



The International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) is a foundation under Dutch law. The members of the ILT are the eight institutes and countries who currently own LOFAR stations. The mission of the ILT is to exploit the LOFAR telescope under common policies to maximise its science output. Access to LOFAR observing is open to all scientists from around the world following a competitive peer-reviewed process termed ‘open skies’ in the astronomy discipline.

 

Largest radio telescope

LOFAR, now connecting fifty-two antenna stations in eight European countries to powerful computers in Groningen, the Netherlands, forms the largest radio telescope and operates at the lowest radio frequencies that can be observed from Earth. Unlike classical dish telescopes, LOFAR is a multipurpose sensor network, with an innovative computer and network infrastructure that can handle extremely large data volumes. Its long-term archive currently contains over 40 petabytes of astronomical data.

The core of LOFAR consists of a network of twenty-four stations concentrated in a three kilometre area the north-east of the Netherlands; there are a further fourteen stations also in the Netherlands. The network has grown over the years, making LOFAR a truly pan-European research infrastructure with six stations in Germany, three in Poland, and one each in France, Ireland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the next one being delivered to Latvia in summer 2019. The greatest distance between stations is termed the ‘baseline’ and now approaches 2000 km. This baseline sets the resolution, or detailed zoom-in ability, of the LOFAR telescope. The total number of stations determines its sensitivity to the weakest radio emission from the sky. All this is done in the highly-populated European continent: it is a testament to the brains behind the continuously-improving signal processing algorithms that this is achievable.

Last week, the equipment for the new station was shipped to Latvia, which will enhance the resolution, sensitivity, and fidelity of LOFAR.

 

Twinning

Being part of the LOFAR family brings multiple benefits to the research community in the member countries. A recently completed H2020 project, BALTICS (Building on Advanced LOFAR Technology for Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainability), ran between January 2016 and December 2018. The partners – VIRAC (Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center), ASTRON, and UMAN (University of Manchester) – strengthened the expertise and experience of VIRAC radio astronomers and technology and instrumentation engineers. The project encompassed development and training in instrumentation and data analysis, accompanied by dissemination and scientific publications.

BALTICS was a great stepping stone on the way to financing, realisation, and future exploitation of the LOFAR station under construction in Latvia. VIRAC views the LOFAR station as the natural extension of their Irbene Observatory. It will further anchor the role of VIRAC as a top-level science and technology expertise centre in the northeast of Europe.

 

Networking

BALTICS was specifically designed to cement the networking collaborations between ASTRON, UMAN, and VIRAC. This will facilitate subsequent participation in future joint endeavours, including top-notch instrumental and astronomical research and development projects, e.g. regarding the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), often on the interface between academia and industry, in high-impact regional, national and European research areas.

The project successfully concluded its activities with a scientific conference organised in Jurmala, Latvia on 5 December 2018. Attendees from Latvia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as Bulgaria, France, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, shared and discussed the knowledge and experience gained during the project.

The conference was followed by a Workshop at the Irbene Observatory of VIRAC on 6 December 2018, with the goal of promoting the opportunities that the participation of VIRAC in LOFAR and the EVN (European VLBI Network) will bring to the new user community, and to intensify links with partner scientific and technological institutes in the wider European region. The workshop covered topics from the basics of ILT science operations, organization and future upgrade, to science research topics from potential users.

 

Next steps

In the closing report to the European Commission, VIRAC expressed its pleasure and gratitude with the results they derived from the BALTICS project. The ASTRON participants were delighted to be able to contribute to increasing their capabilities, and were impressed by the work of all contributors in their research in Low Frequency Radio astronomy and the related technical facilities. All participants in the closing meeting of BALTICS were excited to see the ground preparations for the LOFAR station. The ILT looks forward to welcoming the Latvian consortium as a full member.

The ILT is now engaged in a major technological upgrade, again led by ASTRON, that will position the facility as a cutting-edge research infrastructure throughout the 2020’s, and for technological pathfinding aimed at the decade beyond. Meanwhile, the ILT aims to welcome new partner countries and institutes to further enhance the facility, as well as to strengthen its support base and user community.

By Dr. René Vermeulen, Director of the International LOFAR Telescope, and Prof. Carole Jackson, Scientific and General Director of ASTRON

Source: EuroScientist



Share on other platforms

Other news

Initiative for Space Weather Investigations 2025

By Rota Rulle • May 22, 2025
BLU 2025 - workshop of the Bulgaria – Latvia – Ukraine Initiative for Space Weather Investigations June 2-6, 2025 Primorsko, Bulgaria

A delegation from the Norwegian space industry visited VUAS

By Rota Rulle • May 22, 2025
Last week, a delegation from the Norwegian space industry visited Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (and the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre. The delegation included representatives from nine Norwegian companies and organizations. The visit was organized by Austris Keišs, Director of Export Promotion in Norway at the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA). Among the visitors was Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Norway’s largest defense manufacturing company, which produces advanced defense, aviation, and space systems, including combat management solutions and remote weapon stations, as well as developing air defense systems and missile technologies for various military applications. The company also offers maritime systems such as autonomous and remote-controlled solutions for naval forces. Also visiting Ventspils was Space Norway, one of Norway's leading satellite and space infrastructure companies; PaleBlue, a company that offers spaceflight simulations; Spectrum Blue, which uses quantum technologies to develop and produce next-generation materials used in healthcare and sustainability sectors, as well as digital decision-support systems for building management. Other visitors included Inventas, a leading Norwegian design and innovation company; Rocket Grace Group, which organizes Spaceport Norway, one of the largest space conferences in the Nordic countries; and startup Nava Space, which plans to manufacture next-generation space suits designed for extreme environmental conditions by combining artificial intelligence solutions with smart materials. The visit also included representatives from the University of Oslo, the engineering research foundation Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, and the Norwegian Industrial Forum for Space Activities (NIFRO). During the visit, the delegation toured the VIRAC and VUAS electronics laboratories. VUAS Rector Andris Vaivads gave a presentation introducing the activities of both VUAS and VIRAC. According to Austris Keišs, Head of the LIAA representative office in Norway, the goal of the visit was “to promote cooperation in the space industry between Latvia and Norway and to integrate Latvian companies into international projects and supply chains, positioning Latvia as an attractive investment destination for Norwegian companies.” VSRC Director Mārcis Donerblics assessed the visit as productive: “We were pleased that the Norwegian Ambassador to Latvia, Ine Måreng, who is a strong supporter of the space sector, also joined the visit. The visit was doubly effective because both the political and industrial sectors were represented,” said Donerblics. “Of course, we took the opportunity to exchange contacts with representatives from various institutions, and with several, we agreed to continue the dialogue in one-on-one meetings. It’s too early to mention specific examples, but we are interested in topics like telecommunications, satellite communication antenna systems, and student exchange opportunities.” Donerblics also reminded that VIRAC already has a strategic partnership with the Swedish Space Corporation and that there is a solid basis to hope for broader partnerships among the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Guest lecture by the Head of the Culture and Press Section of the German Embassy

By Rota Rulle • May 20, 2025
On 15th of May, students of the Faculty of Translation Studies had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture about German-Latvian cooperation, embassy work and diplomatic protocol. The guest lecture was given by Christopher Grounau, Head of the Cultural and Press Section of the German Embassy, and Nataļja Buinicka, graduate of VUAS’ bachelor and master study programme in translation. At the beginning of the day, the visitors were welcomed by the 3rd year students of the translation bachelor study programme; the students gave them a short tour of the University and told them about the daily life of students and about the VUAS in general. During the guest lecture, the Embassy representatives told the students of the Faculty of Translation Studies about the work of the Embassy, its structure and responsibilties of specific units, shared some aspects of their daily duties, and answered questions asked by students. Matīss Jansons and Elēna Šatrovska, 3rd year students of the bachelor study programme Translation, Interpreting and Language Technology shared their impressions of the tour and the guest lecture: Matīss said: "Until now, I had no idea how close and diverse the cooperation between Latvia and Germany actually is. It was interesting to hear how much attention and support they give to cultural projects that really bring our countries closer together. I used to think that diplomacy was all about fine suits, empty speeches and champagne at events, but today I realised that there is much more to it. It's a lively, dynamic environment where every day is different, and behind it all, there's people who do exciting and important work.” Elena also shared: “It was a wonderful opportunity not only to learn how the Embassy works from the point of view of insiders, how diplomatic meetings are organised, where so many details need attention, but also to meet the people who make the Embassy run smoothly. Moreover, meeting them in person allowed me to see the human perspective of their work making it more understandable, not as something idealised, complicated and unachievable.” Event organized by the lecturer of the VUAS Egita Proveja. Information prepared by the students of the bachelor study programme Translation, Interpreting and Language Technology.

European Space Agency Mission “Comet Interceptor” Applies Comet Models Developed in Latvia

By Rota Rulle • May 20, 2025
Through collaboration between Latvian technology company Nanocraft SIA, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, and the Tartu Observatory, the photo-realistic modelling project “CI3D” has been successfully delivered to the European Space Agency (ESA). The project activities have produced computer-generated images used for testing the cameras of ESA’s “Comet Interceptor” mission. Since the mission, scheduled for the early 2030s, will approach a still-unknown target comet—its trajectory from the Oort cloud towards the Sun currently too distant to observe with telescopes—photo-realistic images are needed to validate the mission’s cameras.

Literary Translation Workshop at the VUAS Library with Poet Linda Mence

By Rota Rulle • May 20, 2025
On May 7, the second- and third-year students of the study program “Translation, Interpreting and Language Technologies” participated in a literary translation workshop at the VUAS Library. The event was led by poet, translator, and editor Linda Mence and attended by students with a particular interest in literature and literary translation. The main theme of the workshop was the voice embodied in the text. This voice can belong to an author or translator, although the translator’s voice usually plays a symbolic role. At the beginning, Linda Mence introduced the audience to the questions that should be asked before starting a translation, such as: “Identity – who is the speaker?”, “What are the lexical layers and the emotions conveyed by the words?” Students read several texts – poems and story excerpts – and expressed their opinions during discussions in order to reach a common understanding. They also translated texts from English into Latvian to explore the nuances of literary translation. The poet and translator also shared her experience of translating various works and spoke about “absolute language pitch”, which is comparable to absolute musical pitch and is just as undeniably a great talent. Moreover, this sensitivity can be developed by reading works of various genres and authors from different time periods. However, translation should begin with shorter forms – essays and short stories. Two third-year students, Ilze Jaunzeme and Natālija Dolgova, shared their feedback on the event. Ilze said: “Once again, I was reminded that translating expressive texts is not an easy task. What I really liked was that it felt more like a conversation with a like-minded person – a colleague who is genuinely interested, listens freely and curiously to all ideas, and offers suggestions. This event was incredibly valuable; I hope no one loses interest and that more of these workshops will follow.” Meanwhile, Natālija commented: “I truly enjoyed how heartfelt this event was. Linda Mence explained very clearly and engagingly the aspects that must be considered when translating literature. She didn’t just lecture – she actively involved the audience, and I believe that the exchange and weighing of different translation options taught us more than if we had simply listened.”  The event was organized by the Dean of the Faculty of Translation Studies at VUAS, the Ventspils International Writers’ and Translators’ House, and the VUAS Library.

VUAS Culture Day: Unveiling the Cultural Iceberg

By Rota Rulle • May 12, 2025
Join us for an insightful and delicious journey around the world at our upcoming Culture Day event! On May 21st at 4:30 PM in the VUAS student lounge D0, students from Turkey, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, China, and India will take you on a fascinating exploration of their unique cultures, inspired by the concept of the Cultural Iceberg. Just like an iceberg, there's so much more to a culture than what meets the eye. Our presenters will go beyond the familiar tourist sights and delve into the deeper, often unseen aspects of their heritage. Prepare to: Savor authentic flavors: Taste traditional dishes prepared with love by our student representatives. It's a culinary adventure you won't want to miss! Uncover hidden depths: Through engaging presentations, discover the values, beliefs, and customs that truly shape each culture. Navigate cultural nuances: Learn about intriguing taboos and gain a better understanding of potential cultural misunderstandings. Challenge stereotypes: Engage in open discussions and hear firsthand perspectives that break down common misconceptions. This is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons, connect with fellow students from diverse backgrounds, and gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and complexity of our global community right here at VUAS. Don't miss this chance to: Expand your cultural intelligence. Make new friends and connections. Enjoy delicious international food. Participate in thought-provoking discussions.  Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 21st at 4:30 PM and head to the VUAS student lounge D0 . Let's explore the fascinating depths of culture together! We look forward to seeing you there!
Other news