The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

Gianluca Giavitto; Terry Ashton; Arnim Balzer; David Berge; Francois Brun; Thomas Chaminade; Eric Delagnes; Gerard Fontaine; Matthias Füßling; Berrie Giebels; Jean Francois Glicenstein; Tobias Gräber; Jim Hinton; Albert Jahnke; Stefan Klepser; Marko Kossatz; Axel Kretzschmann; Valentin Lefranc; Holger Leich; Hartmut Lüdecke; Iryna Lypova; Pascal Manigot; Vincent Marandon; Emmanuel Moulin; Mathieu De Naurois; Patrick Nayman; Stefan Ohm; Marek Penno; Duncan Ross; David Salek; Markus Schade; Thomas Schwab; Rachel Simoni; Christian Stegmann; Constantin Steppa; Julian Thornhill; Francois Toussnel

doi:10.1063/1.4969005

The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

Gianluca Giavitto, Terry Ashton, Arnim Balzer, David Berge, Francois Brun, Thomas Chaminade, Eric Delagnes, Gerard Fontaine, Matthias Füßling, Berrie Giebels, Jean Francois Glicenstein, Tobias Gräber, Jim Hinton, Albert Jahnke, Stefan Klepser, Marko Kossatz, Axel Kretzschmann, Valentin Lefranc, Holger Leich, Hartmut LüdeckeIryna Lypova, Pascal Manigot, Vincent Marandon, Emmanuel Moulin, Mathieu De Naurois, Patrick Nayman, Stefan Ohm, Marek Penno, Duncan Ross, David Salek, Markus Schade, Thomas Schwab, Rachel Simoni, Christian Stegmann, Constantin Steppa, Julian Thornhill, Francois Toussnel

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) located in Namibia. In order to assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA, the older cameras, installed in 2003, are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade. Its goals are reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. All camera components have been upgraded, except the mechanical structure and the photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). Novel technical solutions have been introduced: the upgraded readout electronics is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip; the control of the hardware is carried out by an FPGA coupled to an embedded ARM computer; the control software was re-written from scratch and it is based on modern C++ open source libraries. These hardware and software solutions offer very good performance, robustness and flexibility. The first camera was fielded in July 2015 and has been successfully commissioned; the rest is scheduled to be upgraded in September 2016. The present contribution describes the design, the testing and the performance of the new H.E.S.S. camera and its components.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Subtitle of host publication	6th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Editors	Felix A. Aharonian, Felix A. Aharonian, Frank M. Rieger, Werner Hofmann
Publisher	American Institute of Physics Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)	9780735414563
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4969005
Publication status	Published - 4 Jan 2017
Externally published	Yes
Event	6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy - Heidelberg, Germany Duration: 11 Jul 2016 → 15 Jul 2016

Publication series

Name	AIP Conference Proceedings
Volume	1792
ISSN (Print)	0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)	1551-7616

Conference

Conference	6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Heidelberg
Period	11/07/16 → 15/07/16

Access to Document

10.1063/1.4969005

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Giavitto, G., Ashton, T., Balzer, A., Berge, D., Brun, F., Chaminade, T., Delagnes, E., Fontaine, G., Füßling, M., Giebels, B., Glicenstein, J. F., Gräber, T., Hinton, J., Jahnke, A., Klepser, S., Kossatz, M., Kretzschmann, A., Lefranc, V., Leich, H., ... Toussnel, F. (2017). The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras. In F. A. Aharonian, F. A. Aharonian, F. M. Rieger, & W. Hofmann (Eds.), High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy: 6th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy Article 070008 (AIP Conference Proceedings; Vol. 1792). American Institute of Physics Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4969005

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title = "The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras",

abstract = "The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) located in Namibia. In order to assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA, the older cameras, installed in 2003, are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade. Its goals are reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. All camera components have been upgraded, except the mechanical structure and the photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). Novel technical solutions have been introduced: the upgraded readout electronics is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip; the control of the hardware is carried out by an FPGA coupled to an embedded ARM computer; the control software was re-written from scratch and it is based on modern C++ open source libraries. These hardware and software solutions offer very good performance, robustness and flexibility. The first camera was fielded in July 2015 and has been successfully commissioned; the rest is scheduled to be upgraded in September 2016. The present contribution describes the design, the testing and the performance of the new H.E.S.S. camera and its components.",

author = "Gianluca Giavitto and Terry Ashton and Arnim Balzer and David Berge and Francois Brun and Thomas Chaminade and Eric Delagnes and Gerard Fontaine and Matthias F{\"u}{\ss}ling and Berrie Giebels and Glicenstein, \{Jean Francois\} and Tobias Gr{\"a}ber and Jim Hinton and Albert Jahnke and Stefan Klepser and Marko Kossatz and Axel Kretzschmann and Valentin Lefranc and Holger Leich and Hartmut L{\"u}decke and Iryna Lypova and Pascal Manigot and Vincent Marandon and Emmanuel Moulin and \{De Naurois\}, Mathieu and Patrick Nayman and Stefan Ohm and Marek Penno and Duncan Ross and David Salek and Markus Schade and Thomas Schwab and Rachel Simoni and Christian Stegmann and Constantin Steppa and Julian Thornhill and Francois Toussnel",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Author(s).; 6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy ; Conference date: 11-07-2016 Through 15-07-2016",

year = "2017",

month = jan,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1063/1.4969005",

language = "English",

series = "AIP Conference Proceedings",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics Inc.",

editor = "Aharonian, \{Felix A.\} and Aharonian, \{Felix A.\} and Rieger, \{Frank M.\} and Werner Hofmann",

booktitle = "High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy",

}

Giavitto, G, Ashton, T, Balzer, A, Berge, D, Brun, F, Chaminade, T, Delagnes, E, Fontaine, G, Füßling, M, Giebels, B, Glicenstein, JF, Gräber, T, Hinton, J, Jahnke, A, Klepser, S, Kossatz, M, Kretzschmann, A, Lefranc, V, Leich, H, Lüdecke, H, Lypova, I, Manigot, P, Marandon, V, Moulin, E, De Naurois, M, Nayman, P, Ohm, S, Penno, M, Ross, D, Salek, D, Schade, M, Schwab, T, Simoni, R, Stegmann, C, Steppa, C, Thornhill, J & Toussnel, F 2017, The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras. in FA Aharonian, FA Aharonian, FM Rieger & W Hofmann (eds), High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy: 6th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy., 070008, AIP Conference Proceedings, vol. 1792, American Institute of Physics Inc., 6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany, 11/07/16. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4969005

The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras. / Giavitto, Gianluca; Ashton, Terry; Balzer, Arnim et al.
High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy: 6th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy. ed. / Felix A. Aharonian; Felix A. Aharonian; Frank M. Rieger; Werner Hofmann. American Institute of Physics Inc., 2017. 070008 (AIP Conference Proceedings; Vol. 1792).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

AU - Giavitto, Gianluca

AU - Ashton, Terry

AU - Balzer, Arnim

AU - Berge, David

AU - Brun, Francois

AU - Chaminade, Thomas

AU - Delagnes, Eric

AU - Fontaine, Gerard

AU - Füßling, Matthias

AU - Giebels, Berrie

AU - Glicenstein, Jean Francois

AU - Gräber, Tobias

AU - Hinton, Jim

AU - Jahnke, Albert

AU - Klepser, Stefan

AU - Kossatz, Marko

AU - Kretzschmann, Axel

AU - Lefranc, Valentin

AU - Leich, Holger

AU - Lüdecke, Hartmut

AU - Lypova, Iryna

AU - Manigot, Pascal

AU - Marandon, Vincent

AU - Moulin, Emmanuel

AU - De Naurois, Mathieu

AU - Nayman, Patrick

AU - Ohm, Stefan

AU - Penno, Marek

AU - Ross, Duncan

AU - Salek, David

AU - Schade, Markus

AU - Schwab, Thomas

AU - Simoni, Rachel

AU - Stegmann, Christian

AU - Steppa, Constantin

AU - Thornhill, Julian

AU - Toussnel, Francois

PY - 2017/1/4

Y1 - 2017/1/4

N2 - The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) located in Namibia. In order to assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA, the older cameras, installed in 2003, are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade. Its goals are reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. All camera components have been upgraded, except the mechanical structure and the photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). Novel technical solutions have been introduced: the upgraded readout electronics is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip; the control of the hardware is carried out by an FPGA coupled to an embedded ARM computer; the control software was re-written from scratch and it is based on modern C++ open source libraries. These hardware and software solutions offer very good performance, robustness and flexibility. The first camera was fielded in July 2015 and has been successfully commissioned; the rest is scheduled to be upgraded in September 2016. The present contribution describes the design, the testing and the performance of the new H.E.S.S. camera and its components.

AB - The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT) located in Namibia. In order to assure the continuous operation of H.E.S.S. at its full sensitivity until and possibly beyond the advent of CTA, the older cameras, installed in 2003, are currently undergoing an extensive upgrade. Its goals are reducing the system failure rate, reducing the dead time and improving the overall performance of the array. All camera components have been upgraded, except the mechanical structure and the photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). Novel technical solutions have been introduced: the upgraded readout electronics is based on the NECTAr analog memory chip; the control of the hardware is carried out by an FPGA coupled to an embedded ARM computer; the control software was re-written from scratch and it is based on modern C++ open source libraries. These hardware and software solutions offer very good performance, robustness and flexibility. The first camera was fielded in July 2015 and has been successfully commissioned; the rest is scheduled to be upgraded in September 2016. The present contribution describes the design, the testing and the performance of the new H.E.S.S. camera and its components.

U2 - 10.1063/1.4969005

DO - 10.1063/1.4969005

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85011000727

T3 - AIP Conference Proceedings

BT - High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

A2 - Aharonian, Felix A.

A2 - Rieger, Frank M.

A2 - Hofmann, Werner

PB - American Institute of Physics Inc.

T2 - 6th International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

Y2 - 11 July 2016 through 15 July 2016

ER -

The upgrade of the H.E.S.S. cameras

Abstract

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