High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)

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Status: Completed
Period of time: 2017 .g. 1. marts – 2020. g. 29. februāris

“High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

Scientific manager: Dr.sc.comp. Ints Mednieks
Duration: 36 months, from 1.3.2017 to 29.2.2020.
Project co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) Project No: 1.1.1.1/16/A/174
Planned costs: 517036 EUR, including 439481 EUR from ERDF.

The project aims at creation of synchronous timing system for scientific measurements using equipment widely distributed in different locations on Earth. In contrast to the available accurate time services, proposed system will ensure measurement timeline with higher accuracy. Such a system will use high-precision timing technology developed in the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, providing a time interval measurement accuracy of few picoseconds, and being used in multiple satellite Laser Ranging stations within ILRS (see http://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/).

In the project, it is planned to perform research for development of multifunctional timing device, experimental design of timing and clock distribution system for Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (international project JUNO (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiangmen_Underground_Neutrino_Observatory), clock adjustment instrumentation for networked systems.

Project Activities

On April 20-21

Researcher Vadim Vedin and senior researcher Ints Mednieks participated in “JUNO Electronics Workshop 2017” in Padova, Italy, to capture the status of electronics development for the JUNO (http://juno.ihep.cas.cn/ ) project and discuss cooperation for development of time synchronization system within this project.

25.04.2017. A progress report for the 1. phase (22.07.2016.g – 01.03.2017.g) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

20.06.2017. A progress report for the 2 phase (01.03.2017 – 31.05.2017) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”

On July 17-21

From 17 to 21 July researcher Vadim Vedin participated in 10th JUNO Collaboration Meeting held at the Institute of High Energy Physics in Beijing and presented the EDI proposal for cooperation. The Institute proposes to address the measurement equipment synchronization issues in JUNO, using the high-precision time interval measurement technology developed in EDI.

On the basis of this proposal, the JUNO Institutional Board has granted EDI a full collaboration member status in JUNO (see http://juno.ihep.ac.cn/collaboration.php).

JUNO (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (see http://juno.ihep.cas.cn/) is an international project initiated by China for creation of observatory for neutrino studies, in particular, to determine neutrino mass hierarchy and precisely measure oscillation parameters by detecting reactor neutrinos from the Yangjiang and Taishan Nuclear Power Plants, observe supernova neutrinos, study the atmospheric, solar neutrinos and geo-neutrinos, and perform exotic searches using a 20-thousand-ton liquid scintillator detector of unprecedented 3% energy resolution (at 1 MeV) at 700-meters deep underground. At present already 72 leading research organizations dealing with particle physics from all over the world are participating in this project. EDI will design specialized event timers for  obtaining accurate times of events on a time scale that is synchronized with UTC (Time Scale Coordinated).

Development of the Local Clock Distribution System (LCDS) is finished 31.08.2017. Operation principles, technical implementation and parameters are described in the Technical specification (TS14.pdf). It contains the Central Clock Distribution Unit (CCDU) receiving timing information from the external Time and Frequency Standard. Implemented prototype of the CCDU is illustrated below.

Central Clock Distribution Unit (CCDU)

Photo of the CCDU

15.09.2017. A progress report for the 3. phase (01.06.2017 – 31.08.2017) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

21.11.2017. A progress report for the 4. phase (01.09.2017 – 31.10.2017) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

19.12.2017. A progress report for the 5. phase (01.11.2017 – 30.11.2017) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

20.03.2018. A progress report for the 6. phase (01.12.2017 – 28.02.2018) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

26.03.2018. 14:00 Seminar of the European Union European Regional Development Fund project “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)” Project No: 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. Venue: “A” auditorium of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, Dzerbenes str. 14, Riga. Seminar program.

Seminar presentations:

  1. I.Mednieks. „Projekts DaLaS un Elektronikas un datorzinātņu institūta iesaistīšanās neitrīno observatorijas JUNO radīšanā”.
  2. J.Buls. „Notikumu laika noteikšanas metodes laika skalas sinhronizācijai tīkla sistēmās”.
  3. V.Vedins. „Jauni precīzā laika risinājumi un to izmantošana JUNO projektā”.

21.05.2018. A progress report for the 7. phase (01.03.2018 – 30.04.2018) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

8.06.2018. Scientific paper “Specific Signal Representation for Transmission and Processing based on Precise Event Timing” prepared and submitted for presentation in conference BEC-2018 (Tallinn, Estonia).

20.09.2018. A progress report for the 8. phase (01.05.2018 – 31.08.2018) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

1.10.2018. Report on project implementation progress for mid-term evaluation of scientific quality and social-economic influence  has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

19.12.2018. A progress report for the 9. phase (01.09.2018 – 30.11.2018) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

30.01.2019. A progress report for the 10. phase (01.12.2018 – 31.12.2018) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

11-12.04.2019. Researchers V.Kurtenoks and I.Mednieks of the Laboratory of Space Technologies participated in JUNO Electronics Workshop in Rome, where the True Event Timer developed for JUNO project (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, see http://juno.ihep.cas.cn/) was presented and steps to be taken to integrate this timer in JUNO experiment agreed.

29.04.2019. 14:00 Seminar of the European Union European Regional Development Fund project “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)” Project No: 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. Venue: “A” auditorium of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, Dzerbenes str. 14, Riga. Seminar program.

Seminar presentations:

J.Buls. „Taimera izstrāde JUNO projekta vajadzībām un tā parametru novērtēšana”.

I.Mednieks. „JUNO projekta stāvoklis un EDI taimera integrēšana JUNO aparatūrā”.

17.06.2019. A progress report for the 11. phase (01.01.2019 – 31.05.2019) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

17.09.2019. A progress report for the 12. phase (01.06.2019 – 31.08.2019) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

19.12.2019. A progress report for the 13. phase (01.09.2019 – 30.11.2019) has been submitted for the ERAF project No 1.1.1.1/16/A/174  “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)”.

27.02.2020. 10:00, Seminar of the European Union European Regional Development Fund project “High precision synchronous timing in widely distributed scientific instrumentation (DaLaS)” Project No: 1.1.1.1/16/A/174. Venue: “A” auditorium of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, Dzerbenes str. 14, Riga

Seminar program:

  1. I.Mednieks ”DaLaS projekts, sadarbība ar JUNO”
  2. J.Buls „Projekta ietvaros izstrādātā aparatūra, laboratorijas eksperimentu rezultāti”
  3. I.Buraks „White Rabbit tīkla sinhronizācijas monitorēšanas risinājums JUNO projektam”
  4. A.Kalinovskis „Precīzā taimera modernizācija laika sinhronizācijas uzdevumiem”

Publications

Ints Mednieks, Ivars Bilinskis and Eugene Boole “Specific Signal Representation for Transmission and Processing based on Precise Event Timing”, 16th Biennial Baltic Electronics Conference (BEC2018), Oct 8, 2018 – Oct 10, 2018 Tallinn, Estonia. DOI: 10.1109/BEC.2018.8600979   https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8600979

A. S. Rybakov “Sampling and Estimating the Waveform of Analog Signals Based on Precision Event Timing” Automatic Control and Computer Sciences, March 2019, Volume 53, Issue 2, pp 107–115. DOI https://doi.org/10.3103/S0146411619020056

V.Kurtenok, V.Vedin, E.Boole, V.Bespal’ko „UNIVERSAL TIME ASSOCIATED TIME-STAMPING MODULE” , IX INTERNATINAL  SYMPOSIUM, Reports of the international symposium „Metrology of Time and Space”, pp.134-144, 12-14 sept.  2018. ” Russia, Mendeleevo

Vladimir Bespal’ko, Igor Burak, Alexander Rybakov. “Testing pulse timing devices using arbitrary function generators” ” Automatic Control and Computer Sciences volume 54, pages 466–473(2020). https://link.springer.com/article/10.3103/S0146411620050041  https://doi.org/10.3103/S0146411620050041 Published: 16 November 2020

Patent

Latvian Patent No.15284 A „ NOTIKUMA TAIMERIS AR SISTEMĀTISKĀS TAIMĒŠANAS KĻŪDAS STABILIZĀCIJU/EVENT TIME-TAGGING DEVICE WITH STABILIZATION OF SYSTEMATIC ERROR”, Inventors: Vladimirs BESPAĻKO (LV), Jevgeņijs BULS (LV), Igors BURAKS (LV), Vadims VEDINS (LV) Applicant: Institute of Electronics and Computer Science. Published: 20.11.2017.

LR patent No. 15326 A, „Analogu signālu paātrināta pārraides metode ar impulsa platuma modulāciju un demodulāciju ar sekojošu filtrēšanu,  balstītu uz  impulsu platuma-fāzes pārveidojumiem / Method for fast transmission of analog signal using pulse-width modulation and demodulation with following signal filtering based on pulse width-to-phase angle transform”. Inventors: Vladimirs BESPAĻKO (LV), Ivars Biļinskis, Jevgeņijs BULS (LV), Applicant: Institute of Electronics and Computer Science. Published: 20.04.2018.

LR patent No 15560 A, ” Metode laika atzīmju formēšanas precizītātes novērtēšanai/METHOD FOR EVALUATING ACCURACY OF A TIME STAMP SHAPER”. Inventors: Vladimirs Bespaļko, Igors Buraks, Aleksandrs Kalinovskis, Kalvis Salmiņš.  Applicant: Institute of Electronics and Computer Science. Published 20.03.2021.

Participating scientists

    Dr. sc. comp. Ints Mednieks
    Dr. sc. comp. Ints Mednieks

    Senior Researcher

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