[asac][almanews] ALMA Memo 462 Released

[Stacy Oliver]

ALMA MEMO #462

Effects of Radiation on the ALMA Correlator

Joseph Greenberg (National Radio Astrononomy Observatory)

2003-07-08

Keywords: Waveguide components, waveguide transitions, thermal isolators

This memo looks specifically at the effects of cosmic ray radiation at the high
ALMA site on the ALMA Correlator. The most vulnerable components of the Correlator
are the 17,066 Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). The primary risk is that
radiation would cause bits in the downloaded configuration to change. This could
change the FPGAs functionality, until reloaded. The most practical remedy is to
periodically download the Xilinx personalities. This would reverse the effects of
a rare error induced by radiation.

View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #462.
http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma462/memo462.pdf

Download a postscript version of ALMA Memo #462.
http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma462/memo462.ps

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