5 research outputs found
Embedded Software of the KM3NeT Central Logic Board
The KM3NeT Collaboration is building and operating two deep sea neutrino
telescopes at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. The telescopes consist of
latices of photomultiplier tubes housed in pressure-resistant glass spheres,
called digital optical modules and arranged in vertical detection units. The
two main scientific goals are the determination of the neutrino mass ordering
and the discovery and observation of high-energy neutrino sources in the
Universe. Neutrinos are detected via the Cherenkov light, which is induced by
charged particles originated in neutrino interactions. The photomultiplier
tubes convert the Cherenkov light into electrical signals that are acquired and
timestamped by the acquisition electronics. Each optical module houses the
acquisition electronics for collecting and timestamping the photomultiplier
signals with one nanosecond accuracy. Once finished, the two telescopes will
have installed more than six thousand optical acquisition nodes, completing one
of the more complex networks in the world in terms of operation and
synchronization. The embedded software running in the acquisition nodes has
been designed to provide a framework that will operate with different hardware
versions and functionalities. The hardware will not be accessible once in
operation, which complicates the embedded software architecture. The embedded
software provides a set of tools to facilitate remote manageability of the
deployed hardware, including safe reconfiguration of the firmware. This paper
presents the architecture and the techniques, methods and implementation of the
embedded software running in the acquisition nodes of the KM3NeT neutrino
telescopes
Integrated Measures of Indigenous Land and Sea Management Effectiveness: Challenges and Opportunities for Improved Conservation Partnerships in Australia
As partnerships between Indigenous peoples and conservation practitioners mature, new methods are being sought to assess their effectiveness. The increasing diversity of income sources mobilised by Indigenous land and sea managers in Australia is intensifying the pressures on them to demonstrate their 'effectiveness' through a range of frameworks, tools and criteria. In this review, we use Indigenous land and sea management in Australia as a lens to explore the politics and practicalities of measuring the effectiveness of Indigenous conservation partnerships. We first outline current approaches to measuring effectiveness, followed by an explanation of some of the challenges. Available literature is then supplemented with the collective knowledge and experience of the authors to identify practical and achievable ways forward. We suggest four ways by which Indigenous groups and institutional investors can work together to establish meaningful criteria for ensuring effective conservation outcomes: i) develop new mutually-agreed definitions; ii) embrace the complexity of Indigenous-conservation alliances, iii) reflect regularly and collaboratively, and iv) negotiate which indicators of effectiveness can be aggregated across large scales. Well-executed evaluations of effectiveness can be powerful tools for enhancing conservation that conforms to local Indigenous values, facilitates adaptive management, and strengthens relationships between investors and Indigenous groups. By focusing on principles, process, flexibility and trust, generative 'good faith' approaches have the potential to support win-win outcomes for people and the environment and contribute significantly to global conservation and sustainability targets