This contribution describes the acquisition and trigger system for the HEPD-02 calorimeter that will be used onboard the CSES-02 satellite for the CSES/Limadou mission. This mission arises from the collaboration between the Chinese Space Agency (CNSA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and plans the realization of a constellation of satellites which will monitor ionospheric parameters supposed to be related to earthquakes. It will also monitor the solar activity and the interaction with the magnetosphere and will study the cosmic rays in low energy ranges, extending data from PAMELA and AMS. The CSES-02 satellite will be equipped with various instruments, including the High-Energy Particle Detector (HEPD-02), which was designed to measure the energy of particles coming from Van Allen belts. Signals from the HEPD-02 are acquired and digitized by an electronic board that also produces the trigger for the experiment. A new generation ASIC (CITIROC) for the amplification, shaping and memorization of signals from PMTs will be used on this board. The new ASIC allows the use of the peak detector feature, optimizing the acquisition of signals with different temporal characteristics. Along with this, new algorithms for trigger generation have been developed, providing trigger pre-scaling, concurrent trigger masks and Gamma Ray Burst detection. Using pre-scaled concurrent triggers will allow the study of very sensitive regions of a satellite’s orbit such as the South Atlantic Anomaly and polar regions and to detect rare events such as GRBs while still monitoring particle bursts. In this contribution, the progress status of this work will be presented along with the measurements and tests made to finalize the flight model of the board.

The MUon RAdiography of VESuvius (MURAVES) project aims to employ muography imaging techniques to investigate the internal structure of the summit of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano located near Naples, Italy. This paper reports recent advancements in data analysis and simulation tools that significantly improve the quality and reliability of the experiment’s results. A new track selection method, referred to as the Golden Selection, has been developed to identify high-quality muon tracks by applying an improved χ2-based criterion. This method enhances the signal-to-background ratio and improves the resolution of the resulting muographic images. Moreover, the simulation framework has been upgraded through the integration of the MULDER (MUon simuLation for DEnsity Reconstruction) library, which consolidates the functionalities of previously used libraries into a single, unified platform. MULDER enables efficient and accurate modeling of muon flux variations induced by topographical features. A good agreement is observed between the simulated and measured muon flux maps, validating the effectiveness of the new analysis and simulation approaches.

This paper describes the innovative system performing the trigger and the readout of the Photomultiplier Tubes for the High Energy Particle Detector onboard the second satellite of the China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite mission. The second High Energy Particle Detector is designed to measure cosmic rays covering an energy spectrum ranging from a few MeV to several hundreds of MeV. This high-precision detector consists of different subsystems: a solid-state tracker, a segmented trigger, a calorimeter composed of a tower of plastic scintillators and two layers of Lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystals, along with a containment detector. The data acquisition process for the trigger, calorimeter, and containment detector is carried out by a single electronic board, relying on two Weeroc Citiroc Application-Specific Integrated Circuits, which are being utilized in space for the first time. This board also generates and manages trigger signals for the entire detector. It effectively captures signals with distinct timing characteristics from plastic scintillators and inorganic crystals. Given the wide range of particle fluxes encountered during China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite’s orbit, adaptability of the trigger generation system becomes crucial, and data acquisition is optimized to ensure consistent energy spectra measurement with a substantial duty cycle. The trigger system of the second High Energy Particle Detector implements concurrent trigger patterns and the ability to select data acquisition strategies based on orbital zones and the presence of impulsive events. Each trigger configuration is designed to meet scientific demands concerning the field of view and the characteristics of the particles reaching the detector, with prescaling settings fine-tuned accordingly. In addition to monitoring particle bursts, trigger configurations specific to gamma rays will be tracked in 5-millisecond intervals to measure photon fluxes in the energy range from 2 to 20MeV and provide sensitivity for impulsive events, such as Gamma Ray Bursts. This paper provides a comprehensive account of the design criteria, the architectural choices specifically adapted for space applications, and the original trigger management strategy. Additionally, the article presents an in-depth analysis of the performance of the trigger system and comprehensive results from laboratory and beam tests conducted on the qualification and flight models of second High Energy Particle Detector.

In the central area of a blast furnace, called “cohesive zone,” the high temperature up to 2000°C allows us to melt most of the materials in input. The performance of a blast furnace depends on the shape and density of the cohesive zone, and, therefore, its characteristics (i.e., location and extension) are important. Muography, being a passive and non-invasive technique, represents a valid alternative to the most common techniques in the steel industry for the blast furnace monitoring that involve the use of special probes capable of reaching very high temperatures, but which, however, are unable to reach this area before melting or functioning for a long time. The cohesive zone could be passively and continuously observed for a long time with muography and could be visible as a high-density anomaly inside the blast furnace. In this work, the BLEMAB (BLast furnace stack density Estimation through on-line Muon ABsorption measurements) European project (2020–2024) is described. The detectors, the two measurements performed and the first results on the density distribution showing the potential of the technique in the steel industry, will be presented. These results have then been compared with measurements performed in parallel with other techniques such as eMPVP (enhanced MultiPoint Vertical Probes) finding some compatibilities.

The study of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays is made possible by space telescopes that allow for the recording of signals generated by Extensive Air Showers (EAS) on the night side of the Earth’s atmosphere. One of the requirements for these telescopes is the detection of very low photon fluxes, achievable using the latest generation SiPMs characterized by high intrinsic gains, low power consumption, low weight, and robustness against accidental exposure to light. Despite these advantages, some technological issues still need to be addressed, such as the radiation hardness for operation in space. Therefore, the design of a SiPM-based focal surface for UHECR detection must consider the space qualification of SiPM arrays, with the development of compact arrays optimized for low dead-area focal surfaces. SiSMUV (SiPM-based Space Monitor for UV light) is a project dedicated to developing a compact and modular UV detector for use in space telescopes designed to study the fluorescence and Cherenkov signals produced by Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs). Each SiSMUV module incorporates a matrix of SiPMs, a readout ASIC (Radioroc by Weeroc), and an FPGA into a monolithic block. This design enables the acquisition and processing of signals from the sensors. The system can connect to a PC for standalone operation or with back-end electronics for integration into more complex systems. In this paper, we will describe the prototype electronics, the experimental setup and the measurements performed to obtain parameters such as the gain of the SiPMs, and their photon detection efficiency (PDE). We will also present the firmware developed to interface with the readout ASIC and to transmit data to other peripherals.

Muons are constantly produced in cosmic-rays and reach the Earth surface with a flux of about 160 particles per second per square meter. The abundance of muons with respect to other cosmic particles and their capability to cross dense materials with low absorption rate allow them to be exploited for large scale geological or human-made object imaging. Muon radiography is based on similar principles as X-ray radiography, measuring the surviving rate of muons escaping the target and relating it to the mass distribution inside the object. In the course of decades, after the first application in 1955, the methodology has been applied in several different fields. Muography allows us to measure the internal density distribution of the investigated object, or to simply highlight the presence of void regions by observing any excess of muons. Most of these applications require the detector to be installed below the rock being probed. In case that possible installation sites are not easily accessible by people, common instrumentation cannot be installed. A novel borehole cylindrical detector for muon radiography has been recently developed to deal with these conditions. It has been realized with a cylindrical geometry to fit typical borehole dimensions. Its design maximizes the geometrical acceptance, minimizing the dead spaces by the use of arc-shaped scintillators. The details of the construction and preliminary results of the first usage are described in this paper.