Abstract Low Frequency Radio Astronomy & Extrasolar Planet Detection

In our solar system all planets with a magnetic field produce and emit radio waves. It originates from the interaction between the solar wind and the planetary magnetic field. In this diploma thesis the possibility to detect radio emissions from extrasolar planets has been investigated, including basic concepts of low frequency radio astronomy and some concepts of future observatories in space able to detect emissions below the ionospheric cut-off frequency around 10 MHz, which is required for detection of planets smaller then the size of Jupiter. From all extrasolar planets, already detected with other methods, their flux densities in the radio frequency band were calculated and seven candidates were found that should be detectable with an antenna array with the size of the full LOFAR, which is under construction in the Netherlands. To be able to detect planets smaller then Jupiter, a large space based array is needed. The Moon is a suitabl