Further developments in generating type-safe messaging

At ICALEPCS '09, we introduced a source code generator that allows processes to communicate safely using data types native to each host language. In this paper, we discuss further development that has occurred since the conference in Kobe, Japan, including the addition of three more client languages, an optimization in network packet size and the addition of a new protocol data type.Comment: 4 pp. 13th International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems (ICALEPCS 2011). 10-14 Oct 2011. Grenoble, Franc

Development of a machine protection system for the Superconducting Beam Test Facility at Fermilab

Fermilab's Superconducting RF Beam Test Facility currently under construction will produce electron beams capable of damaging the acceleration structures and the beam line vacuum chambers in the event of an aberrant accelerator pulse. The accelerator is being designed with the capability to operate with up to 3000 bunches per macro-pulse, 5Hz repetition rate and 1.5 GeV beam energy. It will be able to sustain an average beam power of 72 KW at the bunch charge of 3.2 nC. Operation at full intensity will deposit enough energy in niobium material to approach the melting point of 2500 {\deg}C. In the early phase with only 3 cryomodules installed the facility will be capable of generating electron beam energies of 810 MeV and an average beam power that approaches 40 KW. In either case a robust Machine Protection System (MPS) is required to mitigate effects due to such large damage potentials. This paper will describe the MPS system being developed, the system requirements and the controls issues under consideration.Comment: 3 pp. 13th International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems (ICALEPCS 2011). 10-14 Oct 2011. Grenoble, Franc

The 2.5 m Telescope of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We describe the design, construction, and performance of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Telescope located at Apache Point Observatory. The telescope is a modified two-corrector Ritchey-Chretien design which has a 2.5-m, f/2.25 primary, a 1.08-m secondary, a Gascoigne astigmatism corrector, and one of a pair of interchangeable highly aspheric correctors near the focal focal plane, one for imaging and the other for spectroscopy. The final focal ratio is f/5. The telescope is instrumented by a wide-area, multiband CCD camera and a pair of fiber-fed double spectrographs. Novel features of the telescope include: (1) A 3 degree diameter (0.65 m) focal plane that has excellent image quality and small geometrical distortions over a wide wavelength range (3000 to 10,600 Angstroms) in the imaging mode, and good image quality combined with very small lateral and longitudinal color errors in the spectroscopic mode. The unusual requirement of very low distortion is set by the demands of time-delay-and-integrate (TDI) imaging; (2) Very high precision motion to support open loop TDI observations; and (3) A unique wind baffle/enclosure construction to maximize image quality and minimize construction costs. The telescope had first light in May 1998 and began regular survey operations in 2000.Comment: 87 pages, 27 figures. AJ (in press, April 2006

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Technical Summary

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) will provide the data to support detailed investigations of the distribution of luminous and non- luminous matter in the Universe: a photometrically and astrometrically calibrated digital imaging survey of pi steradians above about Galactic latitude 30 degrees in five broad optical bands to a depth of g' about 23 magnitudes, and a spectroscopic survey of the approximately one million brightest galaxies and 10^5 brightest quasars found in the photometric object catalog produced by the imaging survey. This paper summarizes the observational parameters and data products of the SDSS, and serves as an introduction to extensive technical on-line documentation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, AAS Latex. To appear in AJ, Sept 200

UPGRADING THE FERMILAB FIRE AND SECURITY REPORTING SYSTEM

Abstract Fermilab's homegrown fire and security system (known as FIRUS) is highly reliable and has been used nearly thirty years. The system has gone through some minor upgrades, however, none of those changes made significant, visible changes. In this paper, we present a major overhaul to the system that is halfway complete. We discuss the use of Apple's OS X for the new GUI, upgrading the servers to use the Erlang programming language and allowing limited access for iOS and Android-based mobile devices

Generation of simple, type-safe messages for inter-task communications

We present a development tool that generates source code to marshal and unmarshal messages. The code generator creates modules for differing processor architectures and programming languages

ACYSYS in a box

The Accelerator Control System at Fermilab has evolved to enable this relatively large control system to be encapsulated into a 'box' such as a laptop. The goal was to provide a platform isolated from the 'online' control system. This platform can be used internally for making major upgrades and modifications without impacting operations. It also provides a standalone environment for research and development including a turnkey control system for collaborators. Over time, the code base running on Scientific Linux has enabled all the salient features of the Fermilab's control system to be captured in an off-the-shelf laptop. The anticipated additional benefits of packaging the system include improved maintenance, reliability, documentation, and future enhancements