The call for expressions of interest (EoIs) leading eventually to LOFAR2.0 Large Programme proposals is now open.
EoIs are not observing proposals. Rather, these are intended to inform how to best organise community workshops in 2022, in which LOFAR will invite all EoI submitters to together take stock of the ideas and consider how a global LOFAR2.0 Large Programme Portfolio would look. That means that EoIs should inform how best to organise the workshop(s), as opposed to providing a detailed scientific justification at this stage. The workshop(s) include considering what programmes could run in parallel and what teams may wish to collaborate. The LOFAR2.0 (Deputy) Project Scientists —Jason Hessels, Cees Bassa and Tim Shimwell — will facilitate this process. The EoIs and community workshops in 2022 will serve as the basis for detailed observing proposals, which will be reviewed by external referees. This will then lead to advice to the ILT Board, who will establish the Large Programme Portfolio based on science excellence, feasibility and timeliness, and other considerations — including the overall breadth, legacy value, and productivity of LOFAR, specific relevance for partner country research communities, and general impact and engagement of the wider community.
On October 7 and 12, 2021 LOFAR held information sessions to inform the scientific community about the various upgrades that are part of LOFAR2.0, and to update about the progress of the development. About 140 people attended the two sessions, combined, but it is assumed that some interested persons may not have been able to attend or would like to rewatch and peruse the slides. Find the full set of presentations and slides, the EoI template and further information here.
Submission deadline for the call: December 3, 2021
Image: © International LOFAR Telescope (ILT).