Transient Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array

Understand

This chapter provides an overview of the possibilities for transient and variable-source astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array.

• While subsequent chapters focus on the astrophysics of individual events, we focus on the broader picture, and how to maximise the science coming from the telescope.
• The SKA as currently designed will be a fantastic and ground-breaking facility for radio transient studies, but the scientifc yield will be dramatically increased by the addition of (i) near-real-time commensal searches of data streams for events, and (ii) on occasion, rapid robotic response to Target-of-Opprtunity style triggers.