The Data Processor of the EUSO-SPB2 Telescopes

TL;DR

This paper describes the design and functionality of the Data Processor system for the EUSO-SPB2 telescopes, which manage data collection, timing, and control for cosmic ray detection instruments on a long-duration balloon mission.

Contribution

It introduces the specific design and components of the Data Processor tailored for high-altitude, long-duration balloon missions with severe environmental constraints.

Findings

Successful control of two telescopes' data and instrument functions

Effective data management and timing synchronization in unpressurized environments

Design solutions for heat dissipation at high altitude

Abstract

In this paper we present the Data Processor (DP) of EUSO-SPB2 (Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon, mission two) telescopes . The EUSO-SPB2 is the continuation of the JEM-EUSO science program on ultra-long duration balloons, started with the EUSO-SPB1 mission. The EUSO-SPB2 will host on-board two telescopes. One is a fluorescence telescope designed to detect high energy cosmic rays via the UV fluorescence emission of the showers in the atmosphere; the other one measures direct Cherenkov light emission from lower energy cosmic rays and other optical backgrounds for cosmogenic tau neutrino detection. The DP is the component of the electronics system which performs data management and instrument control for each of the two telescopes. The DP controls front-end electronics, tags events with arrival time and payload position through a GPS system, provides signals for time synchronization of the event and measures live and dead time of the telescope. Furthermore it manages mass memory for data storage and performs housekeeping monitor and controls the power on and power off sequences. Since a super pressure balloon may remain airborne up to 100 days, the requirements on the electronics and data handling are quite severe. The DP operates at high altitude in unpressurised environment which represents a technological challenge for heat dissipation. In this paper we describe the main components of the system and the design developed for the new mission.