In this data release from the ongoing LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) we present 120-168 MHz images covering 27% of the northern sky. Our coverage is split into two regions centred at approximately 12h45m +44◦30′ and 1h00m +28◦ 00′ and spanning 4178 and 1457 square degrees respectively. The images were derived from 3,451 hrs (7.6 PB) of LOFAR High Band Antenna data which were corrected for the direction-independent instrumental properties as well as direction-dependent ionospheric distortions during extensive, but fully automated, data processing. A catalogue of 4,396,228 radio sources is derived from our total intensity (Stokes I) maps, where the majority of these have never been detected at radio wavelengths before. At 6′′ resolution, our full bandwidth Stokes I continuum maps with a central frequency of 144 MHz have: a median rms sensitivity of 83 μ Jy/beam; a flux density scale accuracy of approximately 10%; an astrometric accuracy of 0.2′′; and we estimate the point-source completeness to be 90% at a peak brightness of 0.8 mJy/beam. By creating three 16 MHz bandwidth images across the band we are able to measure the in-band spectral index of many sources, albeit with an error on the derived spectral index of > ±0.2 which is a consequence of our flux-density scale accuracy and small fractional bandwidth. Our circular polarisation (Stokes V) 20′′ resolution 120-168 MHz continuum images have a median rms sensitivity of 95 μ Jy/beam, and we estimate a Stokes I to Stokes V leakage of 0.056%. Our linear polarisation (Stokes Q and Stokes U) image cubes consist of 480 97.6 kHz wide planes and have a median rms sensitivity per plane of 10.8mJy/beam at 4′ and 2.2mJy/beam at 20′′; we estimate the Stokes I to Stokes Q/U leakage to be approximately 0.2%. Here we publicly release our Stokes I, Q, U and V images in addition to the calibrated uv-data to facilitate the thorough scientific exploitation of this unique dataset.
The data are described by Shimwell et al (2022). Below we provide links to various ways to access the data and catalogues. Please cite the survey paper and see our credits pages if using these images for science.
Main repository and Virtual Observatory resources
- The main DR2 image and uv data repository
- ASTRON VO Mosaic image search
- ASTRON VO Source catalogue search
- ASTRON VO Gaussian catalogue search
HIPS previewer
- High-resolution preview (view in the Aladin app or in a web browser)
- Low-resolution preview (20 arcsec)
Radio catalogues
- Non-redundant source catalogue v1.1 (with source mask information)
- Non-redundant Gaussian catalogue v1.1
Radio-optical crossmatch catalogue
The catalogues in this section are described by Hardcastle et al (2023; A&A accepted).- Value-added source catalogue v1.1 and README file
- Component catalogue v1.1 and README file
- Zooniverse tags dictionary
MOC
- MOC (multi-order coverage) map for DR2 (Note that this does not represent small blanked regions due to bad facets in the mosaics)
Position search
Cutout service
Mosaics
- The mosaics in the table below are full-quality DR2 mosaics with flux scales aligned with reference to NVSS.
