Ad Hoc Panel on On-Line Computers in Nuclear Research
Committee on Nuclear Science
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Washington, D.C.1970
This is a report of work under Contract NSF-C310, T.O. 47between the National Science Foundation and the NationalAcademy of Sciences and under Contract AT(49-1)3236 betweenthe U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the National Academyof Sciences.
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The first digital electronic device employed to collect nucleardata was the binary electronic counter (scaler) of the1930's. In the next decade single and multichannel pulse-heightanalyzers appeared, still using vacuum tubes. In the1950's the development of multichannel analyzers continuedvigorously, with vast improvement of the analog-to-digitalconverter sections and with the introduction of computer-typememories, based first on acoustic delay lines and a shorttime later on ferrite cores. The replacement of vacuum tubesby transistors beginning in the latter half of the 1950'saccelerated the pace of development and application of alltypes of electronic laboratory instruments.
The 1960's was the decade of the computer. Before the1960's almost no on-line computers were used in nuclear research,but since about 1962 the computer has moved into thenuclear laboratory. It provides the research worker with animmensely flexible, powerful, and accurate tool capable ofraising the research output of a laboratory while eliminatingthe most tedious part of the experimental work.
The phenomenal speed of development of computer hardware,software, and methodology contributes to the difficulty experiencedby everybody involved in decision-making processesregarding data-acquisition systems. Since the cost of acomputer system is often a sizable fraction of the total costof a new laboratory, there is urgent need for a set of guidingrules or principles for use by a laboratory director planninga system, a reviewer going over a proposal for support, or apotential funding agency considering proposals and reviews.The purpose of this report is to assist in filling this need.The material presented is current through 1969. Although wedeal with a field that is developing rapidly, we hope that asubstantial portion of the material covered will have long-lastingvalue.
The report was prepared by the Ad Hoc Panel on On-LineComputers in Nuclear Research of the Committee on NuclearScience, National Research Council. Appointed in March 1968,the Panel first met in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 1968.
The original members of the Panel were H. W. Fulbright,H. L. Gelernter, L. J. Lidofsky, D. Ophir (through late 1968),L. B. Robinson, and M. W. Sachs. In June 1968, this groupprepared an interim report. L. J. Lidofsky was on sabbaticalleave in Europe and therefore could not participate duringthe academic year 1968-1969. Early in 1969 J. F. Mollenauerand J. Hahn joined the Panel.
The Panel has reviewed the present state of the fieldand has attempted to anticipate future needs. We have agreedon many important matters, including especially useful designfeatures for computers employed in data acquisition, as wellas types of organization of data-acquisition systems suitablefor various purposes, types of software that manufacturersshould supply, and approximate costs of systems, and we presenta number of recommendations in these areas. However, the Panelmakes no recommendation on st