CONFERENCEPeriod: 2021, June 1 – 2023, May 31 (Duration: 24 months)
Funding: € 540,033
Coordinator: Dr. sc. ing. A. Elsts (EDI)
“Technology for high-precision time-amplitude analysis of event flows (TIME-AMP)”
Agreement with the Central Finance and Contracts Agency No. 1.1.1.1/20/A/076.
Scientific leader of the project Dr. Atis Elsts
Project objective: to develop technology for time-amplitude analysis of event flows, which has high time measurement resolution, high nanosecond pulse amplitude measurement resolution and high stability of measurement parameters, as well as to investigate the applications of this technology in satellite laser location and testing and monitoring of optical communication lines.
The project is implemented by: Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (EDI) in cooperation with the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Latvia (LU AI) and SIA AFFOC Solution
Project results. The project aims to achieve high resolution of the results of measuring the time characteristics of event flows, thanks to the simultaneous registration of the event moment and the amplitude of the event pulse. This allows for the implementation of accurate time binding as a combination of constant threshold discrimination and result correction by amplitude. The solution is based on the expansion of the EDI event time measurement technology with the measurement of nanosecond pulse amplitude, the determination of the correlation between the output signal delay of the constant threshold discriminator and the pulse amplitude, and the accurate simulation of sensor signals using free-form signal generators. It is planned to develop methods for testing picosecond resolution time binding using general-purpose hardware.
University of Latvia (UL) Institute of Astronomy (LU IA) project tasks. The UL IA laser station at Kandavas Street 2 (in the territory of the UL Botanical Garden) is intended to test the developed technology for increasing the accuracy of satellite laser location. The scientific work of the project at the Institute of Astronomy is coordinated by Kalvis Salmiņš, head of the laser station “Rīga”.
Project sucessfully completed
May 29, 2023
The project has been successfully completed, in the picture on the top right is the ETAM timer developed within the project. Experiments with the new device will continue even after the project is completed. The new device allows for simplifying the measurement circuit diagram while increasing the hardware configuration options.
Timer integration with the time gate generator
March 16, 2023
The software is developed for the project for integrating the timer with an external time gate generator, which allows for centralized control and coordination of signals from detectors, measurement intervals in the timer, as well as other equipment used in measurements, such as CCD cameras, with an accuracy of tens of nanoseconds.
SLR results
February 23, 2023
The project performed laser location and compared data using different detectors for one satellite. In both cases, signal amplitude compensation methods were used in the processing. The image shows the results obtained with a hybrid photodetector (HPD), and the lower one - with a photomultiplier (PMT). In both cases, the geodetic satellite LARES was measured.
ILRS conference materials
February 20, 2023
ILRS conference materials are published on ILRS un conference home page.
Participation at the ILRS conference 22nd International Workshop on Laser Ranging
Preliminary results presented at the 22nd International Workshop on Laser Ranging, held in Jebes, Spain, 6-13 November 2022, with the paper
Preliminary results of the new Event Timer with the IECS technologies
K. Salmins (1), J. Kauliņs (1), A. Elsts(2), A. Ancans(2), V. Stepanovs(2), A. Kalinovskis(2)
(1), Institute of Astronomy, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
(2), institute of Electronics and Computer Science, Riga, Latvia
Link to the conference website: 22nd International Workshop on Laser Ranging (ign.es)
October 3, 2022
The use of timers from the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Latvia in satellite laser ranging was also demonstrated at the Researchers' Night at the Institute of Electronics and Computer Sciences on September 30, 2022. The image shows a slide from the presentation for visitors.
June 22, 2022
Several new time interval measuring device test circuits have been created using signal generators or detectors as sources, which allow two different time interval measuring devices to be operated in parallel and compared. 50 Ohm power dividers are used to divide the signals. Precise time synchronization (1 PPS) and 10 MHz signals for the devices are supplied from a GPS-stabilized SecureSync 1200-033 rubidium time and frequency standard.
March. 30, 2022
Optical channel scheme of the laser ranging telescope LS-105
February 15, 2022
Work is underway to prepare experiments. The image shows a dual-channel photon detector that is being modified to allow experiments with signal amplitude. On the right side of the image is the telescope and the detector assembly connector with the telescope's Coudet focus.
November 23, 2021
As part of the project, the initial version of the future development - a time interval meter (first image on the left) was received from EDI with the aim of conducting the first experiments. The device is intended to be operated in parallel with the existing meter RTS 2006. In the image on the right - variations in the amplitude of the PMT SPE signal.
August 24, 2021
Work has begun on a literature review on the use of time-amplitude correction in satellite laser ranging and other scientific fields. The publication database is being created using the Zotero database.
In the picture an information board at the entrance to the SLR telescope electronics room is visible.
