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1. SCALA update: deci-percent laboratory spectro-radiometric NIST calibration transfer to new flux reference sensors

Author

Daniel Küsters, Benjamin Bastian-Querner, Greg Aldering, Timo Karg, Marko Kossatz, Marek Kowalski, Simona Lombardo, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]
Abstract

International audience; Here we present the methodology and results of transferring UV-NIR flux calibration from NIST photodiodes to a set of 20 picoammeters. These are to be deployed as flux reference sensors on the SCALA calibration system at the University of Hawaii 2.2m telescope on Maunakea as part of a systematic upgrade aimed at improving the existing flux calibration for dark energy and exoplanet host star measurements beyond the ∼ 4 mmag / 100 nm we have already achieved at optical wavelengths with SCALA. Our robotic light source for performing the photodiode calibration transfer provides monochromatic light spanning 230 to 1200 nm with a dynamic range of 106 , while our new picoammeters have a noise floor of 10 fA in 4 s at 25 °C, with saturation around 400 pA. Our robotic gantry enabled the measurement of the spatial and angular response of our picoammeters. In preparation for the calibration transfer, a number of tests were performed to establish the measurement uncertainties, and these tests revealed subtle systematic effects that required correction. These includes polarization effects, leading to the redesign of part of the optics in the gantry head, implementation of a Holmium-Didymium filter as a precision wavelength transfer between arc and continuum light sources, and further suppression of stray light. We find that our calibration transfers are consistent with the NIST calibration to within ∼0.1%

Published
2023
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2. A multi-PMT Optical Module for the IceCube Upgrade

Author

Robert Weigel, A. Kretzschmann, Timo Karg, Marko Kossatz, Karl-Heinz Sulanke, Hans-Werner Ortjohann, Christian Dorn, Alexander Kappes, Lew Classen, and Jonas Reubelt

Subjects
Physics, Photomultiplier, Photon, COSMIC cancer database, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, business.industry, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Detector, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Signal, IceCube Neutrino Observatory, Optics, Upgrade, Neutrino, business
Abstract

36th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC2019, Madison, WI, USA, 24 Jul 2019 - 1 Aug 2019; Proceedings of Science 358, 855 pp. (2019)., Following the first observation of an astrophysical high-energy neutrino flux with the IceCubeNeutrino Observatory in 2013 and the identification of a first cosmic high-energy neutrinosource in 2017, the detector will be upgraded with about 700 new advanced optical sensors.This will expand IceCube’s capabilities both at low and high neutrino energies. A large fractionof the upgrade modules will be multi-PMT Digital Optical Modules, mDOMs, each featuring24 three-inch class photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) pointing uniformly in all directions, therebyproviding an almost homogeneous angular coverage. The signal from each PMT is digitizedindividually, providing directional information for the incident photons. Together, the 24 PMTsprovide an effective photosensitive area more than twice than that of the current IceCube opticalmodule. The main mDOM design challenges arise from the constraints on the module size andpower needed for the 24-channel high-voltage and readout systems. This contribution presentsan mDOM design that meets these challenges and discusses the sensitivities expected from thesemodules.

Published
2019
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3. Detector developments for a hybrid particle and radio array for cosmic-ray air-shower detection

Author

Harald Schieler, Max Renschler, Frank G. Schröder, S. Kunwar, Agnieszka Leszczyńska, Karl-Heinz Sulanke, Andreas Weindl, Marko Kossatz, Thomas Huber, Aswathi Balagopal, Marie Oehler, Timo Karg, Mark Weyrauch, Tim Huege, and Andreas Haungs

Subjects
Physics, History, business.industry, Physics::Instrumentation and Detectors, Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, Detector, Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Cosmic ray, Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics, Computer Science Applications, Education, Optics, Air shower, Particle, High Energy Physics::Experiment, ddc:530, business
Abstract

26th Extended European Cosmic Ray Symposium, Altai State University, Barnaul-Belokurikha, Russian Federation, 6 Jul 2018 - 10 Jul 2018; Journal of physics / Conference Series Conference Series 1181, 012075 - (2019). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1181/1/012075, Published by IOP Publ., Bristol

Published
2019
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4. A NECTAr-based upgrade for the Cherenkov cameras of the H.E.S.S. 12-meter telescopes

Author

H. Leich, Thomas Murach, T. Schwab, Marko Kossatz, P. Nayman, Albert Jahnke, Francois Brun, P. Vincent, J.-P. Lenain, Jim Hinton, Christian Stegmann, A. Balzer, J. Bolmont, J. F. Glicenstein, P. Manigot, M. Füßling, Eric Delagnes, Michael Backes, Gianluca Giavitto, Marek Penno, T. Chaminade, F. Toussenel, Terry Ashton, M. de Naurois, David Salek, E. Moulin, D. Berge, Gerard Fontaine, J.-P. Tavernet, Kleopas Shiningayamwe, S. Ohm, V. Lefranc, A. Kretzschmann, J. Thornhill, H. Lüdecke, V. Marandon, Markus Schade, Stefan Klepser, B. Giebels, Iryna Lypova, D. Ross, Tobias Gräber, S. Bonnefoy, Constantin Steppa, Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 28644743 - Backes, Michael, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
Ethernet, data acquisition, atmosphere [Cherenkov counter], computer: communications, High-energy instrumentation upgrade, 01 natural sciences, design [detector], Cherenkov camera, Data acquisition, Software, HESS, [PHYS.HEXP]Physics [physics]/High Energy Physics - Experiment [hep-ex], High Energy Stereoscopic System, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, FPGA, NECTAr, Physics, Upgrade, H.E.S.S, ddc:540, design [electronics], mechanical engineering, upgrade, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, performance, Computer hardware, Photomultiplier, ComputingMethodologies_IMAGEPROCESSINGANDCOMPUTERVISION, FOS: Physical sciences, Cherenkov counter: atmosphere, electrical engineering, programming, 0103 physical sciences, communications [computer], [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Electronics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), detector: design, Cherenkov radiation, Gamma-ray astronomy, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Astronomy and Astrophysics, PMT Cameras, trigger, electronics: readout, HESS - Abteilung Hinton, photon: detector, readout [electronics], business, detector [photon], electronics: design
Abstract

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is one of the three arrays of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) currently in operation. It is composed of four 12-meter telescopes and a 28-meter one, and is sensitive to gamma rays in the energy range ~30 GeV - 100 TeV. The cameras of the 12-m telescopes recently underwent a substantial upgrade, with the goal of improving their performance and robustness. The upgrade involved replacing all camera components except for the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). This meant developing new hardware for the trigger, readout, power, cooling and mechanical systems, and new software for camera control and data acquisition. Several novel technologies were employed in the cameras: the readout is built around the new NECTAr digitizer chip, developed for the next generation of IACTs; the camera electronics is fully controlled and read out via Ethernet using a combination of FPGA and embedded ARM computers; the software uses modern libraries such as Apache Thrift, ZMQ and Protocol buffers. This work describes in detail the design and the performance of the upgraded cameras., Comment: 35 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in "Astroparticle physics"

Published
2020
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5. Hardware and software architecture of the upgraded H.E.S.S. cameras

Author

Francois Brun, A. Kretzschmann, P. Manigot, Mathieu de Naurois, Jean-Philippe Lenain, Kleopas Shiningayamwe, David Salek, Eric Delagnes, Marek Penno, G. Fontaine, A. Balzer, S. Bonnefoy, Thomas Schwab, Berrie Giebels, Stefan Klepser, Marko Kossatz, Thomas Chaminade, V. Lefranc, Emmanuel Moulin, Terry Ashton, Iryna Lypova, David Berge, Stefan Ohm, J. Thornhill, Jean-Francois Glicenstein, Albert Jahnke, Jim Hinton, D. Ross, Michael Backes, Constantin Steppa, Markus Schade, Vincent Marandon, Tobias Gräber, H. Leich, Gianluca Giavitto, Francois Toussnel, P. Nayman, H. Lüdecke, C. Stegmann, Matthias Fuessling, Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), CEA/DSM Centre de Saclay (CEA/DSM), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Département de Physique des Particules (ex SPP) (DPP), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Collège de France (CdF), Département de Physique Nucléaire (ex SPhN) (DPHN), Département de Physique des Particules (ex SPP) (DPhP), Collège de France (CdF (institution)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)

Subjects
Ethernet, Astrophysics and Astronomy, Computer science, FOS: Physical sciences, Integrated circuit, programming, law.invention, High Energy Physics - Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex), Software, law, HESS, [PHYS.HEXP]Physics [physics]/High Energy Physics - Experiment [hep-ex], Electronics, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), activity report, Flexibility (engineering), business.industry, hep-ex, integrated circuit, Modular design, electronics: communications, detector: upgrade, Upgrade, Cherenkov counter, electronics: readout, upgrade, control system, business, Software architecture, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Computer hardware, Particle Physics - Experiment, astro-ph.IM, electronics: design
Abstract

In 2015/16, the photomultiplier cameras of the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescopes CT1-4 have undergone a major upgrade. The entire electronics has been replaced, using NECTAr chips for the front-end readout. A new ventilation system has been installed and several auxiliary components have been replaced. Besides this, the internal control and readout software was rewritten from scratch in a modern and modular way. Ethernet technology was used wherever possible to ensure both flexibility, stability and high bandwidth. An overview of the installed components will be given. In 2015/16, the photomultiplier cameras of the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescopes CT1-4 have undergone a major upgrade. The entire electronics has been replaced, using NECTAr chips for the front-end readout. A new ventilation system has been installed and several auxiliary components have been replaced. Besides this, the internal control and readout software was rewritten from scratch in a modern and modular way. Ethernet technology was used wherever possible to ensure both flexibility, stability and high bandwidth. An overview of the installed components will be given.

Published
2017
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6. A Major Upgrade of the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov Cameras

Author

P. Manigot, Constantin Steppa, Vincent Marandon, V. Lefranc, Marek Penno, Mathieu de Naurois, Terry Ashton, Francois Toussnel, Rachel Simoni, David Salek, P. Nayman, Thomas Chaminade, Albert Jahnke, Iryna Lypova, H. Lüdecke, C. Stegmann, Markus Schade, Stefan Ohm, H. Leich, M. Füßling, D. Ross, S. Klepser, Eric Delagnes, A. Kretzschmann, Thomas Schwab, B. Giebels, Jim Hinton, Marko Kossatz, J. Thornhill, Jean-Francois Glicenstein, Gianluca Giavitto, Emmanuel Moulin, Tobias Gräber, Francois Brun, G. Fontaine, A. Balzer, David Berge, Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)

Subjects
Computer science, data acquisition, QC1-999, Integrated circuit, Cherenkov counter: atmosphere, 01 natural sciences, 7. Clean energy, programming, law.invention, Telescope, Data acquisition, law, Observatory, HESS, 0103 physical sciences, High Energy Stereoscopic System, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Cherenkov radiation, detector: design, activity report, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, Physics, integrated circuit, Cherenkov Telescope Array, Engineering physics, Upgrade, electronics: readout, upgrade, control system, business, Computer hardware, performance
Abstract

International audience; The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) located in Namibia. It was built to detect Very High Energy (VHE, >100 GeV) cosmic gamma rays, and consists of four 12 m diameter Cherenkov telescopes (CT1-4), built in 2003, and a larger 28 m telescope (CT5), built in 2012. The larger mirror surface of CT5 permits to lower the energy threshold of the array down to 30 GeV. The cameras of CT1-4 are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade, with the goals of reducing their failure rate, reducing their readout dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. The entire camera electronics has been renewed from ground-up, as well as the power, ventilation and pneumatics systems, and the control and data acquisition software. Technical solutions forseen for the next-generation Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory have been introduced, most notably the readout is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip. The camera control subsystems and the control software framework also pursue an innovative design, increasing the camera performance, robustness and flexibility. The CT1 camera has been upgraded in July 2015 and is currently taking data; CT2-4 will upgraded in Fall 2016. Together they will assure continuous operation of H.E.S.S at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA. This contribution describes the design, the testing and the in-lab and on-site performance of all components of the newly upgraded H.E.S.S. camera.

Published
2017
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7. Performance of the upgraded H.E.S.S. cameras

Author

Marko Kossatz, Berrie Giebels, Vincent Marandon, Francois Brun, Mathieu de Naurois, Stefan Klepser, Stefan Ohm, P. Manigot, J. Thornhill, H. Leich, Jean-Philippe Lenain, Terry Ashton, Albert Jahnke, Emmanuel Moulin, Iryna Lypova, David Berge, Markus Schade, Gianluca Giavitto, D. Ross, Marek Penno, Jean-Francois Glicenstein, Michael Backes, Kleopas Shiningayamwe, Thomas Chaminade, Thomas Schwab, A. Kretzschmann, Jim Hinton, S. Bonnefoy, V. Lefranc, C. Stegmann, Constantin Steppa, Tobias Gräber, Eric Delagnes, Francois Toussnel, P. Nayman, H. Lüdecke, Matthias Fuessling, David Salek, G. Fontaine, A. Balzer, Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
Calibration (statistics), Computer science, Real-time computing, FOS: Physical sciences, Dead time, calibration, 01 natural sciences, detector: upgrade, System failure, HESS, 0103 physical sciences, Overall performance, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], 010306 general physics, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), activity report, performance
Abstract

International audience; The 14 years old cameras of the H.E.S.S. 12-m telescopes have been upgraded in 2015/2016, with the goals of reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. This conference contribution describes the various tests that were carried out on the cameras and their sub-components both in the lab and on site. It also gives an overview of the commissioning and calibration procedures adopted during and after the installation, including e.g. flat-fielding and trigger threshold scans. Finally, it reports in detail about the overall performance of the four new H.E.S.S-I cameras, using very recent data.

Published
2017
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8. The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

Author

Marko Kossatz, Francois Toussnel, M. Füßling, Marek Penno, Markus Schade, Thomas Chaminade, Albert Jahnke, J. Thornhill, C. Stegmann, P. Manigot, Rachel Simoni, P. Nayman, Stefan Ohm, Constantin Steppa, Francois Brun, Jim Hinton, H. Leich, Stefan Klepser, Terry Ashton, Emmanuel Moulin, Vincent Marandon, Mathieu de Naurois, Gianluca Giavitto, Jean-Francois Glicenstein, V. Lefranc, H. Lüdecke, Iryna Lypova, Eric Delagnes, D. Ross, Thomas Schwab, D. Salek, David Berge, A. Kretzschmann, Tobias Gräber, G. Fontaine, A. Balzer, B. Giebels, Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron [Zeuthen] (DESY), Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft = Helmholtz Association, University of Leicester, Gravitation AstroParticle Physics Amsterdam (GRAPPA), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC (UMR_7164)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Computer and Information Sciences [Univ Strathclyde], University of Strathclyde [Glasgow], Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)

Subjects
detector: technology, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, NECTAr chip, Engineering, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, data acquisition, Continuous operation, engineering, IACT, programming, 7. Clean energy, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Telescope, Optics, Data acquisition, Software, Observatory, law, Robustness (computer science), HESS, 0103 physical sciences, ddc:530, High Energy Stereoscopic System, Cherenkov counter: imaging, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Field-programmable gate array, Instrumentation, 010303 astronomy & astrophysics, Cherenkov radiation, activity report, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Physics, PMT readout, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, business.industry, HESS upgrade, Dead time, Cherenkov Telescope Array, Chip, detector: upgrade, Upgrade, electronics: readout, photon: detector, control system, Atmospheric Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes, business, performance, Computer hardware
Abstract

International audience; The High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) located in the Khomas highland in Namibia. It was built to detect Very High Energy (VHE >100GeV ) cosmic gamma rays. Since 2003, HESS has discovered the majority of the known astrophysical VHE gamma-ray sources, opening a new observational window on the extreme non-thermal processes at work in our universe. HESS consists of four 12-m diameter Cherenkov telescopes (CT1–4), which started data taking in 2002, and a larger 28-m telescope (CT5), built in 2012, which lowers the energy threshold of the array to 30GeV . The cameras of CT1–4 are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade, with the goals of reducing their failure rate, reducing their readout dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. The entire camera electronics has been renewed from ground-up, as well as the power, ventilation and pneumatics systems, and the control and data acquisition software. Only the PMTs and their HV supplies have been kept from the original cameras. Novel technical solutions have been introduced, which will find their way into some of the Cherenkov cameras foreseen for the next-generation Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory. In particular, the camera readout system is the first large-scale system based on the analog memory chip NECTAr, which was designed for CTA cameras. The camera control subsystems and the control software framework also pursue an innovative design, exploiting cutting-edge hardware and software solutions which excel in performance, robustness and flexibility. The CT1 camera has been upgraded in July 2015 and is currently taking data; CT2-4 have been upgraded in fall 2016. Together they will assure continuous operation of HESS at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA. This contribution describes the design, the testing and the in-lab and on-site performance of all components of the newly upgraded HESS camera.

Published
2016
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9. A major electronics upgrade for the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescopes 1-4

Author

Markus Schade, David Berge, M. Füßling, M. de, H. Lüdecke, A. Kretzschmann, A. Balzer, Gianluca Giavitto, Marek Penno, Tobias Gräber, J. F. Glicenstein, Rachel Simoni, Albert Jahnke, J. Thornhill, T. Chaminade, Marko Kossatz, Berrie Giebels, Francois Brun, H. Leich, Emmanuel Moulin, C. Stegmann, Jim Hinton, P. Manigot, S. Klepser, Eric Delagnes, F. Toussenel, Terry Ashton, Thomas Schwab, P. Nayman, D. Salek, D. Ross, Vincent Marandon, V. Lefranc, Gerard Fontaine, CEA/DSM Centre de Saclay (CEA/DSM), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet (LLR), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (LPNHE (UMR_7585)), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
Ethernet, Cherenkov Telescope Array, Computer science, FOS: Physical sciences, IACT, Cherenkov counter: atmosphere, HESS, hardware, ddc:530, High Energy Stereoscopic System, Electronics, [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-INS-DET]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det], Field-programmable gate array, HESS - Abteilung Hofmann, Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM), Cherenkov radiation, computer, FPGA, energy: high, business.industry, imaging, Dead time, sensitivity, electronics: upgrade, Upgrade, gamma ray: VHE, readout, business, Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics, Computer hardware, performance, on-line
Abstract

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) located in the Khomas Highland in Namibia. It consists of four 12-m telescopes (CT1-4), which started operations in 2003, and a 28-m diameter one (CT5), which was brought online in 2012. It is the only IACT system featuring telescopes of different sizes, which provides sensitivity for gamma rays across a very wide energy range, from ~30 GeV up to ~100 TeV. Since the camera electronics of CT1-4 are much older than the one of CT5, an upgrade is being carried out; first deployment was in 2015, full operation is planned for 2016. The goals of this upgrade are threefold: reducing the dead time of the cameras, improving the overall performance of the array and reducing the system failure rate related to aging. Upon completion, the upgrade will assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA. In the design of the new components, several CTA concepts and technologies were used and are thus being evaluated in the field: The upgraded read-out electronics is based on the NECTAR readout chips; the new camera front- and back-end control subsystems are based on an FPGA and an embedded ARM computer; the communication between subsystems is based on standard Ethernet technologies. These hardware solutions offer good performance, robustness and flexibility. The design of the new cameras is reported here., Comment: Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference, 30 July- 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands

Published
2015
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