On the largest scale, the Universe resembles a cosmic spiderweb. Most galaxies coexist in small groups within the threads of this web. At the nodes of the threads are enormous groups of galaxies... Show moreOn the largest scale, the Universe resembles a cosmic spiderweb. Most galaxies coexist in small groups within the threads of this web. At the nodes of the threads are enormous groups of galaxies forming the largest structures in the universe still held together by gravity: clusters of galaxies.Clusters of galaxies consist of thousands of galaxies, although the galaxies constitute only a few per cent of the total cluster mass. The majority of the (non-dark) mass of a cluster is in a hot and dilute gas that resides in the space between galaxies and is permeated by magnetic fields. Clusters grow by collisions with other clusters, shocking and heating the gas causing amplification of magnetic fields and acceleration of particles to near the speed of light. This makes clusters a source of radio synchrotron radiation.This thesis investigates the particle acceleration process and the magnetic fields of merging clusters using the LOFAR and VLA radio telescopes. The thesis presents, among other things, one of the few radio maps of clusters at ultra-low frequencies and examines clusters of lower mass than usual. Additionally, the thesis includes observations of a sample of over a hundred clusters to statistically determine the properties of the magnetic field in clusters in a novel way. Show less
This thesis develops a method for direction dependent calibration of the ionosphere in radio interferometric data. The method uses the physical theory of the propagation of radio waves through a... Show moreThis thesis develops a method for direction dependent calibration of the ionosphere in radio interferometric data. The method uses the physical theory of the propagation of radio waves through a random weakly scattering medium, to construct a Gaussian process prior for differential total electron content. We develop a technique for applying this to real data, and apply the technique to several 8-hour LOFAR HBA observations. We find the method is able to, for the first time, remove the direction dependent effects of the ionosphere using a screen based approach. In the process we discover a direction dependent systematic in the data that places a limit of the efficacy of the method. Show less
The study of cosmic large-scale structure formation benefits from radio observations, because it provides an unbiased view on the early Universe. Distant radio galaxies and diffuse cluster sources... Show moreThe study of cosmic large-scale structure formation benefits from radio observations, because it provides an unbiased view on the early Universe. Distant radio galaxies and diffuse cluster sources generally have a steep spectrum, which implies an increased brightness towards lower frequencies (below 300 MHz). The quality of low-frequency radio observations is compromised by the propagation effects on cosmic radio waves passing through the ionosphere. In this thesis, we present a calibration method for low-frequency radio interferometric observations. This method significantly improves the quality of radio maps from archival observations as compared to other existing calibration methods. The method was used to produce one of the deepest high-resolution surveys at 153 MHz to date, including the detection of 16 candidate distant radio galaxies. Furthermore, the method was used in a study of the diffuse radio sources in the merging galaxy cluster Abell 2256. These observations support the theory of revival of old radio sources through cluster merger shock compression. Finally, we present a study of the cosmic large-scale structure near a radio galaxy in the early universe by using an optical selection technique for galaxies. The projected galaxy distribution appears to trace the cosmic structure during the assembly of galaxy clusters. Show less
