Fast preprocessing of physical data in a VMEbus based multiprocessor system
W. Brehmer, K. H. Maier, Marta Rettelbusch de Bastos Martini, A. Richter, C. Unger, W. Wawer · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science · 1989
Multicoincidence and multiparameter experiments in nuclear physics typically produce 10 Gb of data per measuring run. These raw data are stored on optical disks and subsequently reduced by a VMEbus-based multiprocessor system which compiles large two-dimensional spectra in a 32 Mb of RAM (random access memory). All subprocesses required for preprocessing run simultaneously on firmly assigned microprocessors (MC 68020). The sorting algorithms for spectrum compilation can easily be adapted to different raw data structures and spectrum sizes by means of a set of assembler macros. The authors describe the data recording, system requirements, interprocess communication, sorting process, software development, and system performance.>