Trigger and Calorimeter Data Acquisition of the High-Energy Particle Detector Onboard the CSES-02 Satellite

This article describes the innovative system performing the trigger and the readout of the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for the high-energy particle detector (HEPD) onboard the second satellite of the China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) mission. The second HEPD is designed to measure cosmic rays covering an energy spectrum ranging from a few megaelectronvolts to several hundreds of megaelectronvolts. This high-precision detector consists of different subsystems: a solid-state tracker, a segmented trigger, a calorimeter composed of a tower of plastic scintillators, and two layers of lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) crystals, along with a containment detector. The data acquisition (DAQ) process for the trigger, calorimeter, and containment detector is carried out by a single electronic board, relying on two Weeroc CITIROC application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which are being utilized in space for the first time. This board also generates and manages trigger signals for the entire detector. It effectively captures signals with distinct timing characteristics from plastic scintillators and inorganic crystals. Given the wide range of particle fluxes encountered during CSES’s orbit, adaptability of the trigger generation system becomes crucial, and DAQ is optimized to ensure consistent energy spectra measurement with a substantial duty cycle. The trigger system of the second HEPD implements concurrent trigger patterns and the ability to select DAQ strategies based on orbital zones and the presence of impulsive events. Each trigger configuration is designed to meet scientific demands concerning the field of view and the characteristics of the particles reaching the detector, with prescaling settings fine-tuned accordingly. In addition to monitoring particle bursts, trigger configurations specific to gamma rays will be tracked in 5-ms intervals to measure photon fluxes in the energy range from 2 to 20 MeV and provide sensitivity for impulsive events, such as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). This article provides a comprehensive account of the design criteria, the architectural choices specifically adapted for space applications, and the original trigger management strategy. Additionally, this article presents an in-depth analysis of the performance of the trigger system and comprehensive results from laboratory and beam tests conducted on the qualification and flight models of second HEPD.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Published
2025-01-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1109/tim.2025.3555671
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
3.08
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Trigger and Calorimeter Data Acquisition of the High-Energy Particle Detector Onboard the CSES-02 Satellite

Simona Zoffoli, G. Osteria, S. Ricciarini, V. Scotti et al.
2 citations
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
3.08
article

Trigger and Calorimeter Data Acquisition of the High-Energy Particle Detector Onboard the CSES-02 Satellite

Simona Zoffoli, G. Osteria, S. Ricciarini, V. Scotti, R. Battiston, A. Oliva, A. Boiano, Z. Sahnoun, Alessandro Sotgiu, A. Contin, Umberto Savino, F. Nozzoli, Veronica Vilona, F. Palmonari, Giuseppe Gebbia, Marco Mese, М. Мерге, M. Lolli, A. Vanzanella, M. Ricci, F. Benotto, M. Pozzato, Riccardo Nicolaidis, P. Cipollone, B. Panico, A. Lega, Enrico Serra, C. De Santis, S. Coli, S. Garrafa Botta, C. De Donato, Stefania Perciballi, S. Bartocci, R. Sparvoli, P. Zuccon, P. Picozza, P. Ubertini, V. Masone, Francesco Palma, R. Iuppa, F. Perfetto, S. Beolè, M. Cristoforetti, F. M. Follega, E. Ricci, G. Masciantonio, Antonio Anastasio, F. Dumitrache, Andrea di Luca
article en
2 citations

Abstract

This article describes the innovative system performing the trigger and the readout of the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for the high-energy particle detector (HEPD) onboard the second satellite of the China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) mission. The second HEPD is designed to measure cosmic rays covering an energy spectrum ranging from a few megaelectronvolts to several hundreds of megaelectronvolts. This high-precision detector consists of different subsystems: a solid-state tracker, a segmented trigger, a calorimeter composed of a tower of plastic scintillators, and two layers of lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) crystals, along with a containment detector. The data acquisition (DAQ) process for the trigger, calorimeter, and containment detector is carried out by a single electronic board, relying on two Weeroc CITIROC application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which are being utilized in space for the first time. This board also generates and manages trigger signals for the entire detector. It effectively captures signals with distinct timing characteristics from plastic scintillators and inorganic crystals. Given the wide range of particle fluxes encountered during CSES’s orbit, adaptability of the trigger generation system becomes crucial, and DAQ is optimized to ensure consistent energy spectra measurement with a substantial duty cycle. The trigger system of the second HEPD implements concurrent trigger patterns and the ability to select DAQ strategies based on orbital zones and the presence of impulsive events. Each trigger configuration is designed to meet scientific demands concerning the field of view and the characteristics of the particles reaching the detector, with prescaling settings fine-tuned accordingly. In addition to monitoring particle bursts, trigger configurations specific to gamma rays will be tracked in 5-ms intervals to measure photon fluxes in the energy range from 2 to 20 MeV and provide sensitivity for impulsive events, such as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). This article provides a comprehensive account of the design criteria, the architectural choices specifically adapted for space applications, and the original trigger management strategy. Additionally, this article presents an in-depth analysis of the performance of the trigger system and comprehensive results from laboratory and beam tests conducted on the qualification and flight models of second HEPD.

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and MeasurementVol. 74
University of Trento (IT), Fondazione Bruno Kessler (IT), Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (IT), Nello Carrara Institute of Applied Physics (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics And Applications (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Napoli (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Roma Tor Vergata (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bologna (IT), University of Turin (IT), National Institute for Astrophysics (IT), University of Bologna (IT)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
3.08
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.