BNMR
BNMR and BNQR Experiments at TRIUMF
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Purpose
These pages describe the Data Acquisition System (DAQ) for the BetaNMR (BNMR) and BetaNQR (BNQR) experiments at TRIUMF
Introduction
The Data Acquisition System is based on the MIDAS data acquisition package.
There are two separate experimental setups :
- bnmr running on the BNMR high-voltage platform
- bnqr running on the BNQR high-voltage platform
Each experimental setup has its own #Hardware Components (i.e. a VME crate containing DAQ modules). Each runs as a separate MIDAS experiment named bnmr or bnqr. DAQ software specific to these experiments (MIDAS clients) run the experiments - see #Software Components. Experimenters control the experiment using the MIDAS Web Server (mhttpd).
Beam Control
The main TRIUMF EPICS Control System is used to control the beam, which can be switched to either experiment's beamline. There are two Beam Modes that the experiments can be run in:
- single channel mode
- where the beam is sent to one channel only, either BNMR or BNQR. Only one of the DAQ systems bnmr or bnqr is active.
- dual channel mode
- where the beam is switched between the two channels BNMR and BNQR at regular intervals. Both DAQ systems bnmr and bnqr are active.
Environment
For both experiments, two types of environment are defined (cf MUSR experiments):
- Integral (Type 1)
- Time Differential or TD (Type 2)
- Combination of the above two types
Experimental (PPG) Modes
A number of different experimental modes are defined for each of Type 1 (Integral) and Type 2 (TD) #Environments. These allow different experimental modes to be run (e.g. Frequency scan, Na Cell scan). The modes used in recent years are shown in a brighter colour. These modes correspond to different programs downloaded into the PPG (i.e. to different pulse sequences) so are also known as PPG Modes. To understand what each experimental mode does, consult the appropriate timing diagram listed below and see experimental (PPG) modes.
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Hardware Components
DAQ hardware components for each DAQ system (BNMR/BNQR) include the following VME modules:
| Module | Description | VME Base Address | BNMR | BNQR | Manual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIS3801 version E | multichannel scaler A | 0x2800 | yes | yes | SIS3801 |
| SIS3801 version E | multichannel scaler B | 0x1800 | yes | no | |
| PPG (Pulseblaster) | Pulse Programmer | 0x8000 | yes | yes | PPG Spincore Pulseblaster |
| PSM | Pol Synthesizer module (RF) | 0xC00000 | no | yes | PSM AD9857 Quadrature Digital Upconverter Programming Guides: PSM / PSMII |
| PSMII | Pol Synthesizer module II (RF) | 0xC00000 | yes | no | |
| NIMIO32 | Input/Output Register | 0x100000 | yes | yes | NIMIO32 |
| MVME162 | 68040 board, cpu runs CAMP (VxWorks) | bnmrvw | polvw | ||
| VMIC | cpu runs frontend (Linux) | lxbnmr | lxbnqr |
The names of the VMIC running the frontend and MVME162 (the CAMP host) for each experiment are shown in Table 2 above.
Software Components
The DAQ system is based on the MIDAS package. Data acquisition software to run the bnmr and bnqr experiments has been written to run under MIDAS. This includes the frontend, custom logger etc. This software is mostly common to both experiments (differences between the two experiments are handled with ifdefs).
The experiment is controlled using the MIDAS webserver (mhttpd). Due to the large number of experimental parameters required, Midas custom pages have been written for the experimenters to control and monitor their experiment.
The custom logger (mdarc/midbnmr) saves the data into MUSR MUD format files, and the MUSR CAMP slow control system is used for slow controls. Analysis is done by physica.
The DAQ software components are started by the script start-all and stopped by the script kill-all. These include standard MIDAS utilities (e.g. mhttpd, mlogger, mserver) as well as components specific to the bnmr and bnqr experiments.
The main DAQ software components specific to the bnmr and bnqr experiments are
| Component | Hostname | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| frontend* | lxbn[mq]r** | the frontend sets up, reads out hardware modules, sends histograms |
| rf_config | isdaq01 | check PPG parameters, download program to PPG |
| mdarc | isdaq01 | custom data logger saves data in MUD format |
| midbnmr | isdaq01 | converts MIDAS format saved data files to save in MUD format |
| mheader | isdaq01 | sends out CAMP and EPICS slow-control data to be saved in the MUD data file |
| fe_epics | isdaq01 | sends experimental data to EPICS (can be read by control-room) |
| autorun | isdaq01 | automatic run controller |
| perlscripts | isdaq01 | various perlscripts control changing experimental mode, checking and maintaining run numbering, etc. |
- * Frontend code for both experiments are identical and called febnmr_vmic or febnqr_vmic
- ** see #Nomenclature
Each of the DAQ components is described in more detail (click on the appropriate link in Table 3). With the exception of the perlscripts, all components in Table 3 are MIDAS clients. The perlscripts use the MIDAS utility odbedit to communicate with the ODB, and may be run by one of the MIDAS clients, or by a (custom)script button on a MIDAS web page.
Analysis of the data is done by physica, and plotting by lcrplot.
DAQ Summary
- The VMIC front end computer runs the frontend code which
- controls PSM,PPG, VMEIO
- acquires data from SIS MCS module(s), builds histograms
- acquires data from CAMP, EPICS
- sends the data out into the data buffer
- The host computer (isdaq01)
- run all other software components
- starts/stops runs
- acquires the data from the data buffer
- logs the data
- monitors the experiment
Nomenclature
In this document, " bnmr or bnqr " may be written as " bn[mq]r " or " <beamline> ".
For example, directories :
- /home/bnmr/online/bnmr spc or spc /home/bnqr/online/bnqr
are referred to by shortcuts such as
space /home/bn[nm]r/online/b[nm]r spc or spc ~/online/b[nm]r
and
space /home/<beamline>/online/<beamline> bl or bl ~/online/<beamline>, bl where <beamline> is bnmr or bnqr