SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT
(25 October 2023)
We are happy to inform you that the registration for the 7th LOFAR Data School is currently open and the deadline for registering is November 30th 2023. The LDS2024 will take place from 15 till 19 April 2024 at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, in Dwingeloo, The Netherlands. Remote participation is not offered.
RATIONALE
The goal of the school is to assist the participants in the generation and analysis of LOFAR science ready data. The school will present the major calibration data techniques for processing interferometry and beamformed observations. Parallel sessions will focus on the analysis of interferometry and beamformed data based on the most common science cases addressed by LOFAR data (e.g. wide-field imaging and imaging of extended faint sources, extraction of polarised emission, search for exoplanets, analysis of Solar emission, ionospheric science, pulsar and high time variability analysis etc). Attention will be given to the LOFAR 2.0 development and the opportunities this new facility will bring. All potential LOFAR users are encouraged to apply.
INFORMATION FOR THE PARTICIPANTS
Presentations will be given at a level appropriate for someone familiar with the LOFAR system and data products. Familiarity with standard data processing software such as CASA will be useful, but not required. The basic prerequisites for participants include familiarity with scripting languages, particularly Python, and a prior review of the introductory materials that will be accessible online in the near future. We will notify you via email once these resources become available. Parallel sessions regarding advanced topics are planned. The school language will be English.
SOFTWARE
Participants are expected to bring fairly recent Linux or MAC laptops with python3 installed. For the tutorials, participants will need to make use of the latest LOFAR software version, as well as other dedicated software packages. To this aim, a container with all needed software will be made available in due course before the start of the school. We ask participants to test everything one week in advance of the start of the School. More information with instructions will be made available soon in the ’Software’ section of the School website (still under development).
PROGRAMME
A preliminary version of the programme, can be found here:
Monday April 15:
Science opportunities and instrument capabilities; data discovery and access
Interferometric data editing techniques
Tuesday April 16:
Interferometric data editing and science analysis techniques
Excursion to the LOFAR core
Reception at De BospubWednesday
Wednesday April 17:
Science use cases: parallel sessions on interferometric data and beamformed data
Interferometric and beamformed data analysis techniques
Thursday April 18:
Science use cases: parallel sessions on interferometric data and beamformed data
Group activity: science analysis
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open and will close on 30 November 2023. Please register at: https://indico.astron.nl/event/315/registrations/125/
A registration fee of 175 Euro is requested, which will cover a welcoming reception, coffee/tea/lunches during the 5 days of the school, use of bicycles for transport between the hotel and ASTRON, the School dinner, the visit to the LOFAR core, and a shuttle bus service between ASTRON and the railway station nearby, Hoogeveen train station, on 14 and 19 April. Food restrictions and dietary requirements can be specified at the moment of registration.
Note that registration to the School is on a first come-first serve basis and limited to approximately 75 participants. However, the organizers reserve the right to make the final selection. If you register after we have received this limit, you will be placed on a waiting list.
After the registration deadline, the LOC will inform you if you can (or cannot) participate in the school.
LOGISTICS
The school will be hosted by ASTRON (Dwingeloo). The participants will be accommodated at the nearby Fletcher Hotel De Borken, where they should make their own reservations and also pay for the accommodation themselves - UPDATE: hotel De Borken no longer available, please see Venue info in the left menu), . Due to the limitation of the number of available rooms, participants are recommended to share rooms. Details on how to make the hotel reservation will be circulated at a later stage. We expect the participants to arrive on Sunday 14 April and depart on Friday 19 April.
On Sunday 14 April, we will arrange shuttle buses from the railway station in Hoogeveen to Fletcher Hotel de Borken, and on Friday 19 April, we will arrange buses from ASTRON/Hotel de Borken to Hoogeveen. We will provide bikes to allow you to reach ASTRON from the hotel. Alternative transportation (at your own costs) will be made available for those people unable to cycle and/or walk. If this is needed, please let us know by contacting us at lofarschool@astron.nl.
For more details, you can visit the official school website at: https://indico.astron.nl/event/315/ and for any questions please contact us at: lofarschool@astron.nl.
Please review the ASTRON Code of Conduct here.
Please forward to anyone who may be interested in attending and please let me know if you have any questions.
See you in Dwingeloo,
Emanuela Orrù
on behalf of the LOC
LOC: M. Iacobelli (chair), E. Orrù (co-chair), V. Kondratiev, A. Shulevski, E. van der Wateren, M. Tibbe
First Announcement
We are happy to announce that the 7th LOFAR Data School (LDS2024) will take place at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Dwingeloo, The Netherlands) in the week of 15-19 April, 2024.
RATIONALE
The goal of the school is to assist the participants in the generation and analysis of LOFAR science ready data. It is a prerequisite to study the online modules of radio astronomy, radio interferometry and the LOFAR system. This will enable participants to get the most out of the school.
The school will present the major calibration data techniques for processing interferometry and beamformed observations. Parallel sessions will focus on the analysis of interferometry and beam-formed data based on the most common science cases addressed by LOFAR data (e.g. wide filed imaging and imaging of extended faint sources, extraction of polarized emission, search for exoplanets, analysis Solar emission, ionospheric science, pulsar and high time variability analysis etc). Attention will be given to the LOFAR 2.0 development and the opportunities this new facility will bring.
INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS
Presentations and tutorials will be given at a level appropriate for someone new to LOFAR - please note the prerequisite to study the online material and have some experience with radio data. Minimum requirements should include some familiarity with scripting languages and in particular Python.
Participants are expected to bring fairly recent Linux or MAC o/s laptops.
Attendance will be limited to approximately 75 participants. Remote participation is not offered. All potential LOFAR users are encouraged to apply.
VENUE AND REGISTRATION
The school will be hosted by ASTRON (Dwingeloo). The participants will be accommodated at the nearby Fletcher hotel De Borken, where they should make their own reservation and also pay for the accommodation themselves. Due to the limitation of the number of available rooms, participants are recommended to share rooms. Details on how to make the hotel reservation will be circulated at a later stage. We expect the participants to arrive on Sunday 14 April and depart on Friday 19 April.
A registration fee of 150 Euro is requested, which will cover a welcoming reception, coffee/tea/lunches during the 5 days of the school, the School dinner, the visit to the LOFAR core, and a shuttle bus service between ASTRON and the railway station nearby, Hoogeveen train station, on 14 and 19 April.
Food restrictions and dietary requirements can be specified at the moment of the registration.
The registration will open in September 2023.
Note that registration to the School is on a first come - first serve basis, however the organizers reserve the right to make the final selection.
For more details, you can visit the official school website at: https://indico.astron.nl/event/315/ and for any questions please contact us at: lofarschool@astron.nl.
See you in Dwingeloo,
Emanuela Orrù
Of behalf of the LOC
