Cathode readout multiwire proportional chamber for ISTRA setup

The main characteristics of cathode readout multiwire proportional chambers with 760 x 760 mm2 active area are presented for particle loads up to 103 part./mm2xs. The following chamber characteristics were obtained: efficiency, epsilon = 99%, space resolution, delta = 0.3 mm, rms of charge ratio Qsub(x)/Qsub(Y) for charges on the X- and Y-plane of one chamber deltasub(QX/QY) = 7%. A description is given of chamber design and operation, calibration and detector check-up procedures, and registered charged particle coordinate reconstruction methods. Calculated dependencies for the probability of obtaining the true multitrack event coordinate on the deltasub(QX/QY) value are presented. (orig.)