Silicon Photomultiplier Research and Development Studies for the Large Size Telescope of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the the next generation facility of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes; two sites will cover both hemispheres. CTA will reach unprecedented sensitivity, energy and angular resolution in very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. Each CTA array will include four Large Size Telescopes (LSTs), designed to cover the low-energy range of the CTA sensitivity ($\sim$20 GeV to 200 GeV). In the baseline LST design, the focal-plane camera will be instrumented with 265 photodetector clusters; each will include seven photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), with an entrance window of 1.5 inches in diameter. The PMT design is based on mature and reliable technology. Recently, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are emerging as a competitor. Currently, SiPMs have advantages (e.g. lower operating voltage and tolerance to high illumination levels) and disadvantages (e.g. higher capacitance and cross talk rates), but this technology is still young and rapidly evolving. SiPM technology has a strong potential to become superior to the PMT one in terms of photon detection efficiency and price per square mm of detector area. While the advantage of SiPMs has been proven for high-density, small size cameras, it is yet to be demonstrated for large area cameras such as the one of the LST. We are working to develop a SiPM-based module for the LST camera, in view of a possible camera upgrade. We will describe the solutions we are exploring in order to balance a competitive performance with a minimal impact on the overall LST camera design.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at arXiv:1508.0589

Conception et test d'un ASIC de lecture pour un photodétecteur SiPM (ALPS)

This thesis is the R&D on front-end electronics for a second generation camera based on the SiPM detectors for the Large Size Telescope (LST) of the CTA project. It is a part of the SiPM collaboration involving the LAPP, the University of Padua, the INFN and the MPI in Munich. The first part of the thesis is the characterization of an array of 16 SiPMs from Hamamatsu. The study proves the advantages of using such detectors in the LST. It defines the specifications of the readout electronics that are the aim of this work. Especially that it should ameliorate the gain dispersion of the 16 pixels that was found of about 10%. The second part is the design of the readout ASIC. The scheme tends to measure the SiPMs’ signals with minimum disturbance of the detector. It integrates slow control facilities that adjust the detector’s gain, minimize the dispersion in gain and provide the possibility of deleting noisy channels or even completely jumping over the control process. These facilities could perfectly get rid of the gain dispersion. Outputs of the 16 pixels will be summed on both high gain and low gain so that only two signals are delivered to the acquisition system that follows. A trigger function will also generate a trigger signal to the acquisition system. The choice was made to realize this ASIC according to the rules of the AMS 0.35um BiCMOS technology. Simulation shows a linearly-covered dynamic range up to 2000 photoelectrons with good signal to noise ratio that allows the measurement of the single photoelectron. Laboratory tests confirm a great part of these results.Cette thèse est la R&D de l’électronique de front-end destinée à la camera de deuxième génération du télescope de grande taille LST de projet CTA, étant basée sur les détecteurs de type SiPM. Cette étude rassemble des équipes du LAPP, de l’université de Padoue, de l’INFN et du MPI de Munich. La première partie de cette thèse porte sur les tests de caractérisations d’une matrice de 16 SiPMs fabriquée par Hamamatsu. Les résultats de ces tests ont souligné les avantages qui pourraient être apportés par l’utilisation de tels détecteurs. Un cahier des charges pour l’électronique a été défini à l’issue de ces tests. Notamment, une nécessité de corriger la dispersion en gain entre les 16 pixels qui a été trouvée d’environ 10%. La seconde partie est la conception d’un circuit intégré (ASIC) qui pourrait lire les signaux des pixels -SiPM avec la moindre perturbation possible de fonctionnement du détecteur. Cet ASIC inclut des fonctions de contrôle (slow control) qui permettent l’ajustement de gain des pixels, l’amélioration de l’uniformité de gain et la possibilité de supprimer les canaux bruyants ou encore même le contournement du processus de contrôle de gain. Ces fonctionnalités peuvent unifier le gain de 16 canaux. Les sorties des 16 canaux seront sommées pour en faire deux signaux seulement à la sortie de l’ASIC. Ces deux signaux, un sur le haut gain et l’autre sur le bas gain seront fournis au système d’acquisition qui suivra l’ASIC. Une fonction de déclenchement génèrera un signal de trigger qui sera ainsi transmis au système d’acquisition. Cet ASIC a été réalisée avec la technologie AMS 0.35um BiCMOS. Les simulations ont montré une gamme dynamique linéairement couverte jusqu’à 2000 photoélectrons et la possibilité de mesurer le photoélectron unique grâce au bon rapport signal sur bruit électronique. Les tests au laboratoire confirment une grande partie de ces résultats

The Search-Coil Magnetometer (SCM) of the Radio and Plasma Waves Investigation (RPWI) onboard the ESA JUICE mission

International audienceThe JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission is the first large-class (L1) mission of ESA Cosmic Vision. JUICE will be launched in April 2023 with an arrival at Jupiter in 2031 and at least four years making detailed observations of Jupiter’s magnetosphere and of three of its largest moons (Ganymede, Callisto and Europa). The Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation (RPWI) consortium will carry the most advanced set of electric and magnetic fields sensors ever flown in Jupiter’s magnetosphere, which will allow to characterize the radio emission and plasma wave environment of Jupiter and its icy moons. Here we present the scientific objectives and the technical features of the Search Coil Magnetometer (SCM) of RPWI. SCM will provide for the first time three-dimensional measurements of magnetic field fluctuations in the frequency range 0.1 Hz – 20 kHz within Jupiter’s magnetosphere. High sensitivity (~10 fT / √Hz at 1 kHz) will be assured by combining an optimized (20 cm long) magnetic transducer with a low-noise (4 nV / √Hz) ASIC pre-amplifier. Perturbations by the spacecraft are strongly reduced by accommodating SCM at about 10 m away from the spacecraft on the JUICE magnetometer boom. The combination of high sensitivity and high cleanliness of SCM measurements will allow unpreceded studies of electromagnetic fluctuations down to plasma kinetic scales, in particular in key regions such as the magnetopause, the auroral region and the magnetotail current sheet of Ganymede’s own magnetosphere which JUICE will orbit for many months. This will lead to important advances in understanding how fundamental plasma processes such as magnetic reconnection, turbulence and particle energization occur in Jupiter’s plasma environment

The Mediterranean region under climate change

This book has been published by Allenvi (French National Alliance for Environmental Research) to coincide with the 22nd Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) in Marrakesh. It is the outcome of work by academic researchers on both sides of the Mediterranean and provides a remarkable scientific review of the mechanisms of climate change and its impacts on the environment, the economy, health and Mediterranean societies. It will also be valuable in developing responses that draw on “scientific evidence” to address the issues of adaptation, resource conservation, solutions and risk prevention. Reflecting the full complexity of the Mediterranean environment, the book is a major scientific contribution to the climate issue, where various scientific considerations converge to break down the boundaries between disciplines

Determinants of morbidity and mortality following emergency abdominal surgery in children in lowincome and middle-income countries

Background: Child health is a key priority on the global health agenda, yet the provision of essential and emergency surgery in children is patchy in resourcepoor regions. This study was aimed to determine the mortality risk for emergency abdominal paediatric surgery in low-income countries globally. Methods: Multicentre, international, prospective, cohort study. Self-selected surgical units performing emergency abdominal surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive children aged <16 years during a 2-week period between July and December 2014. The United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI) was used to stratify countries. The main outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality, analysed by multilevel logistic regression. Results: This study included 1409 patients from 253 centres in 43 countries; 282 children were under 2 years of age. Among them, 265 (18.8%) were from low-HDI, 450 (31.9%) from middle-HDI and 694 (49.3%) from high-HDI countries. The most common operations performed were appendectomy, small bowel resection, pyloromyotomy and correction of intussusception. After adjustment for patient and hospital risk factors, child mortality at 30 days was significantly higher in low-HDI (adjusted OR 7.14 (95% CI 2.52 to 20.23), p<0.001) and middle-HDI (4.42 (1.44 to 13.56), p=0.009) countries compared with high-HDI countries, translating to 40 excess deaths per 1000 procedures performed. Conclusions: Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries. Effective provision of emergency essential surgery should be a key priority for global child health agendas

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially