The MINOS data acquisition system

Abstract

The MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment consists of two detectors separated by 730 km. Both are equipped with identical data acquisition (DAQ) systems, based on continuous, dead time free readout. Data are read from the untriggered front-end electronics by VME single board computers and transferred across high-speed PCI data links for consolidation by data routing processors. An array of Linux computers selects events of interest using software-based trigger algorithms. We present the design of the DAQ system and report on experience gathered during early operation of the experiment.

Measurement of the underground atmospheric muon charge ratio using the MINOS Near Detector

“…Detailed information regarding the MINOS Near Detector, the electronics and the data acquisition systems can be found in [14,17,18].…”

Study of muon neutrino disappearance using the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam

“…Light emitting diodes are used to produce controlled pulses of light during the data-taking to track gain changes in and characterize the response of the photomultipliers and electronics [28]. The data acquisition (DAQ) [29] and timing system synchronize and continuously read out the frontend electronics. Software triggering in the DAQ provides flexible event selection and data processing.…”

First observations of separated atmosphericνμandν¯μevents in the MINOS detector

“…The veto shield is read out in the same manner as the main detector except that the two out of 36 requirement is not applied and the dynode threshold is set to a level corresponding to approximately one and a half photo-electrons. The MINOS far detector front-end electronics and data acquisition system are described in detail in [16,17].…”