Use of microprocessors in a neutrino experiment

Microprocessors are a fundamental part of the neutrino detector for Experiment 734, a study of νe elastic scattering at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Four DEC LSI-11s are interfaced each to 1/4 of the detector apparatus via programmable scan controllers and to the central DEC 11-34 via separate DMA links. These microprocessors act in parallel to collect and reformat data from ν events; further, they can act independently, orchestrating an elaborate variety of calibrations asynchronously in different regions of the apparatus. Our micros have proved to be very valuable for a number of reasons. It is much easier to manage a large detector in separate pieces. Each LSI-11 can run in stand-alone mode, allowing independent installation or checkout of different parts of the detector. When operational the apparatus must be continuously calibrated; with a very large number of separate detector elements, distributed intelligence is most useful