A deep survey of the low-surface-brightness radio sky

Abstract

We have made a radio survey—the Australia Telescope Low Brightness Survey (ATLBS)—of 8.4 square degrees sky area, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array in the 20-cm band, in an observing mode designed to provide wide-field images with exceptional sensitivity in surface brightness, and thereby explore a new parameter space in radio source populations. The goals of this survey are to quantify the distribution in angular sizes, particularly at weak surface brightness levels: this has implications for the confusion in deep surveys with the SKA. The survey is expected to lead to a census of the radio emission associated with low-power radio galaxies at redshifts 1–3, without any missing extended emission, and hence a study of the cosmic evolution of low-power radio galaxies to higher redshift and a comprehensive study of the AGN feedback during the intense black hole growth phase during this redshift range.