LOFAR ERIC coordinates the development and efficient operation of LOFAR (the LOw Frequency ARray), a vital radio astronomy instrument for world-class scientific research with cohesively operated facilities located in several countries.

Vision and Mission of the LOFAR ERIC

The vision of the LOFAR ERIC is to ensure that LOFAR remains the world's most powerful very-low-frequency and long-baseline radio interferometer until at least 2030, and to bring together the European research community to maximise the scientific output from LOFAR’s diverse infrastructure. Through this, the LOFAR ERIC aims to provide the European research community with the hands-on scientific and technical skills and
knowledge that will enable European researchers to establish and maintain global leadership positions in radio astronomy.

LOFAR radio continuum emission at 120-180 MHz of the galaxy cluster Abell 2256 using facet calibration. The resolution is 5 arc-seconds and the image has a noise about 0.1 mJy/ PSF.
© Reinout van Weeren, on behalf of the LOFAR collaboration

To achieve this vision, the mission of the LOFAR ERIC has several components.

  1. LOFAR ERIC will place the long-term governance of LOFAR on a secure footing, by providing a robust coordinating organisation which will ensure the efficient joint operation of the existing LOFAR facilities.
  2. LOFAR ERIC will draw together a cross-disciplinary international collaboration of engineers, software engineers, signal processors, IT experts and astronomers, and promote a united international approach to on-going and future LOFAR 2.0 upgrades, delivering a successful LOFAR 2.0 Phase 1 within its initial 5-year period (future phases of the LOFAR 2.0 project may be considered by the LOFAR ERIC, as either core elements of the ERIC programme, or elective elements, but are not currently included within the core budget of the initial 5-year financial plan).
  3. LOFAR ERIC will facilitate broad exploitation of the facility by developing and enhancing its unique capabilities, and facilitating access for use and re-use of its extensive data products.
Features in the Galactic magnetic field revealed through fluctuations in radio polarization
© Eck et al.

The LOFAR ERIC will offer capabilities to the European research community that are not available anywhere else in the world, and thus offer huge potential advantages for European researchers, both scientifically and technically. It will help to place European researchers at the forefront of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA; the multi-billion-Euro global radio telescope for which construction is just beginning), cementing long-term benefits for Europe.

Nançay station, France – operated jointly by the Observatoire de Paris and CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique).

LOFAR ERIC

defines and implements a common long-term strategy, joint fundraising, and consistent prioritisation of the development effort for LOFAR2.0, as well as optimising the availability of the collective partner and LOFAR ERIC owned facilities (including sensor, compute, and data storage resources) that form the LOFAR research infrastructure.

LOFAR ERIC

is the appropriate vehicle to attract and consolidate partners with a range of levels of involvement, and to establish and maintain clear long-term policies and funding stability for the organisation and its infrastructure as a whole.

LOFAR ERIC

cohered at the (multi-)national level, brings appropriate visibility and recognition at national and European levels, facilitating a dialogue with science policy makers and funders across its working domain.

LOFAR ERIC

with its unique and cutting-edge facilities, has a continuing role in assuring and stimulating the vitality of the European science community.

LOFAR News

Michiel van Haarlem appointed new LOFAR ERIC Executive Director

The LOFAR ERIC Council has appointed Dr. Michiel van Haarlem as the new Executive Director of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), established by the European Commission in December 2023.

Published 4 months ago by

Participating countries visit LOFAR ERIC headquarters in Dwingeloo

On December 20, 2023 the European Union officially established the LOFAR ERIC: a European Research Consortium Infrastructure. The activities of the Dutch International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation are now continued by the European LOFAR ERIC.

To celebrate this milestone, delegates of all ten participating countries came to the Netherlands, the hosting country of the LOFAR ERIC and location of the LOFAR core.

Published 5 months ago by

LOFAR Family Meeting 2024

The LOFAR Family meeting 2024 will take place from 3 - 7 June 2024 in Leiden. It is hosted by Leiden Observatory, the astronomical institute of Leiden University, in the Netherlands. Established in 1633 to house the quadrant of Rudolph Snellius, it is the oldest operating university observatory in the world.

Published 8 months ago by

LOFAR ERIC is hiring for a new Director

The Low Frequency Array European Research Infrastructure Consortium (LOFAR ERIC) is looking for a new executive director, who will play a pivotal role in representing LOFAR ERIC to all relevant stakeholders and ensure the efficient joint operation of the LOFAR facilities.

Published 8 months ago by

Interim directorship LOFAR ERIC

We write to follow the announcement you have received from René Vermeulen describing his imminent extended leave, starting on 1 March.

We take this first opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for René in leading LOFAR to its current heights. René’s painstaking work has enabled LOFAR to build from a nascent Dutch facility into an ever-growing and strong European collaboration of members, now numbering 10 countries.

Published 9 months ago by

LOFAR ERIC: Distributed Research Infrastructure for European Astronomical Research Launched

LOFAR ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) has been officially launched at its first Council meeting today. The world-leading LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) Distributed Research Infrastructure has already revolutionised low-frequency radio astronomy research, resulting in an avalanche of scientific publications in the past decade. LOFAR ERIC is now a single legal entity across the European Union.

Published 10 months ago by

LOFAR ERIC

defines and implements a common long-term strategy, joint fundraising, and consistent prioritisation of the development effort for LOFAR2.0, as well as optimising the availability of the collective partner and LOFAR ERIC owned facilities (including sensor, compute, and data storage resources) that form the LOFAR research infrastructure.

LOFAR ERIC

is the appropriate vehicle to attract and consolidate partners with a range of levels of involvement, and to establish and maintain clear long-term policies and funding stability for the organisation and its infrastructure as a whole.

LOFAR ERIC

cohered at the (multi-)national level, brings appropriate visibility and recognition at national and European levels, facilitating a dialogue with science policy makers and funders across its working domain.

LOFAR ERIC

with its unique and cutting-edge facilities, has a continuing role in assuring and stimulating the vitality of the European science community.
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