Proposed Control System for the TAMA300 Laser Interferometer


Norihiko Kamikubota(1), Nobuyuki Kanda(2), Ei-ichi Mizuno(3),
Masatake Ohashi(4), Ryutaro Takahashi(4) and Toshitaka Yamazaki(4)

(1) National Laboratory for High Energy Physics (KEK)
Oho 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan
(2) Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), Univ. of Tokyo
3-2-1 Midori-cho, Tanashi, Tokyo 188, Japan
(3) The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)
3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Sagamihara, 229, Japan
(4) National Astronomical Observatory (NAO)
2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181, Japan


A new project TAMA300, a 300 meter laser interferometer in Tokyo to search for gravitational waves, has started in 1995. The operation of the interferometer is expected to start in 1998. In order to construct the control and the data aquisition system for the interferometer, a collaboration between NAO, KEK, ISAS and ICRR has started. Since most of devices (vacuum controller etc.) are well spread over the interferometer arms, it is necessary to use a network-oriented control system. We are evaluating the EPICS as an easy supervisor on the interferometer devices. On the other hand, it is not easy to collect high-rate (10 kHz) signals using popular networks. At present, we are trying to prepare a data recording system with ADCs and archivers through a high-speed internal bus, which is capable to record 14 signals with 10kHz sampling rate (~600 kB/s). In addition, we are investigating the scheme which includes a data server to provide sample data for on-line analysis, X-window environment for monitoring each interferometer device, a GPS-driven oscillator to provide time standard with 1 micro-second accuracy, and so on.