Astronomer
LWA Observational Status
The first station of LWA, LWA1 is open for astronomical observations. In February 2012 LWA1 started collecting user data from the first call of proposals. Invitations for proposals to the general community opened March 31st, 2012, and the third proposal call went out in December with a deadline of February 15, 2013. We expect proposal calls to go out approximately every 9 months. LWA1 operates similar to a "single-dish" radio telescope, but also has two all-sky modes.
Technical Information for Observers
All prospective observers should read the LWA1 Technical and Observational Information document. This document is under construction and will be updated regularly. For questions regarding the LWA1 capabilities, please email lwa@unm.edu.
- LWA1 Technical and Observational Information (html)
- LWA1 Technical and Observational Information (pdf)
- LWA1 Hints on how to schedule an LWA1 Observation.
- Currently known constraints and issues with LWA1. Please consult before observing!
- LWA1 How to Use the LWA1 (Virginia Tech web page with an LWA1 summary)
LWA1 Commissioning Forecast (last updated 2/7/2013)
LWA1 is operational. Planet and Solar tracking modes are supported. Custom beam-shapes will be supported by end of February. Calibration is being improved with a goal of increasing the sensitivity of the beams. There are now five outrigger antennas ranging from 200 to 500 m from the center of LWA1.
RFI Information
The spectrum at frequencies below 100 MHz is contaminated by Radio Frequency Interference that could impact your observations. See Obenberger \& Dowell (2011), LWA Memo 183. Keep in mind that the RFI environment below 30 MHz is substantially better at night than during daytime. For recent spectra consult the latest TBW spectra captures on the LWA1 operations page