Low Frequency Radio Astronomy from Above the Ionosphere

Abstract

The GMRT represents a dramatic improvement in ground-based observing capabilities for low frequency radio astronomy. At sufficiently low frequencies, however, no ground-based facility will be able to produce high resolution images while looking through the ionosphere. A space-based array will be needed to explore the objects and processes which dominate the sky at the lowest radio frequencies. An imaging radio interferometer based on a large number of small, inexpensive satellites would be able to track solar radio bursts associated with coronal mass ejections out to the distance of Earth, determine the frequency and duration of early epochs of nonthermal activity in galaxies, and provide unique information about the interstellar medium.