CERN Accelerating science

Preprint
Report number	arXiv:1509.01232
Title	A major electronics upgrade for the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescopes 1-4
Author(s)	Giavitto, G (Barcelona, IFAE) ; Ashton, T. (Leicester U.) ; Balzer, A. (DESY ; Potsdam U.) ; Berge, D. (CERN) ; Brun, F. (Heidelberg, Max Planck Inst.) ; Chaminade, T. (DSM, DAPNIA, Saclay) ; Delagnes, E. (DAPNIA, Saclay) ; Fontaine, G. (Ecole Polytechnique) ; Füßling, M. (Potsdam U.) ; Giebels, B. (Ecole Polytechnique) ; Glicenstein, J.F. (DAPNIA, Saclay) ; Gräber, T. ; Hinton, J.A. (Leicester U.) ; Jahnke, A. (Munich, Tech. U.) ; Klepser, S. (Barcelona, IFAE ; DESY ; Potsdam U.) ; Kossatz, M. ; Kretzschmann, A. (DESY) ; Lefranc, V. (DAPNIA, Saclay) ; Leich, H. (DESY) ; Lüdecke, H. (DESY) ; Manigot, P. (Ecole Polytechnique) ; Marandon, V. (Heidelberg, Max Planck Inst.) ; Moulin, E. (DAPNIA, Saclay) ; de, M. (Jadavpur U.) ; Nayman, P. (Paris, LPTHE) ; Penno, M. (DESY) ; Ross, D. (Southampton U.) ; Salek, D. (Charles U.) ; Schade, M. ; Schwab, T. (Heidelberg, Max Planck Inst.) ; Simoni, R. ; Stegmann, C. (DESY ; Potsdam U.) ; Thornhill, J. (Liverpool U.) ; Toussenel, F. (Paris, LPTHE)
Publication	2015
Imprint	03 Sep 2015
Note	Comments: Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference, 30 July- 6 August, 2015, The Hague, The Netherlands
Presented at	34th International Cosmic Ray Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands, 30 Jul - 6 Aug 2015
Subject category	Astrophysics and Astronomy
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.
Other source	Inspire
Copyright/License	arXiv nonexclusive-distrib. 1.0