Abstract

In Germany, GLOW (German Long Wavelength Consortium) was founded in order to manage the avtivities of 10 German institutes with respect to LOFAR. LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) is a novel radio telescope that operates in the frequency range 30-240 MHz. It is a radio interferometer consisting of 18 remote and 18 core stations in the Netherlands. The central core is located at Exloo. Additionally, several remote stations will be distributed in central Europe. 5 of them are intended to establish in Germany in order to enhance the baselines of the instrument. LOFAR's basic working principle is digitizing the antenna signals at each station and sending them to the Central Processing System (CPS) at Groningen. This novel approach provides LOFAR with a high flexibility, and the prossiblity of directing up to eight beams at different radio sources in the sky. Thus, it can be used by a corresponding number of concurrent users. The solar radio radiation in LOFARS's frequency range emanates from the upper corona. The solar activity manifests itself in flares and cronal mass ejections (CME). Both are accompanied by strong radio emissions. The impact of solar activity on the terrestrial environment is commonly referred as Space Weather. LOFAR will be able to observe the solar activity with an angular resolution, which is unprecedented in the meter wavelength range.

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