Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) located in the Khomas Highland in Namibia. It measures cosmic gamma rays of very high energies (VHE; >100 GeV) using the Earth’s atmosphere as a calorimeter. The H.E.S.S. Array entered Phase II in September 2012 with the inauguration of a fifth telescope that is larger and more complex than the other four. This paper will give an overview of the current H.E.S.S. central data acquisition (DAQ) system with particular emphasis on the upgrades made to integrate the fifth telescope into the array. At first, the various requirements for the central DAQ are discussed then the general design principles employed to fulfil these requirements are described. Finally, the performance, stability and reliability of the H.E.S.S. central DAQ are presented. One of the major accomplishments is that less than 0.8% of observation time has been lost due to central DAQ problems since 2009.
Source: Astroparticle Physics
Institutions: University of Potsdam, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Polytechnique, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules, Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, European Organization for Nuclear Research
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,920
Funders: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, National Research Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Namibia, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
Awards: G196419191, G4201897825
OpenAlex ID: W2082539361