The Torrent team last week succeeded in resolving the final performance issues with the prototype units. Torrent has now been demonstrated to meet specifications in all critical areas, achieving detector-limited noise and speed performance similar to the previous generation MONSOON controllers. Lab tests confirmed that the modified prototypes deliver 3.5 electrons read noise on an engineering-grade e2v CCD, running at 111 kpix/sec with 2 microseconds dwell time. The MONSOON unit on Mosaic-1.1 delivers the same performance at that speed.
Torrent systems provide similar speed and noise performance compared to the MONSOONs, but they will greatly simplify maintenance work on the mountain through their modular design and self-configuring capabilities. Torrent uses much of the basic architecture of the MONSOON systems, but sacrifices MONSOON's scalability in return for a much smaller size, lower power consumption, and lower unit cost. In addition, the Torrent units are lead-free and fully ROHS-compliant, making them astronomy's first "green" CCD controllers. Pictures of the finished prototype can be seen below. The photos give a good sense of the size of the Torrent unit. The only external component is the small black "brick" power supply in the background of the isometric-view photo.
The team's focus now shifts to producing the first run 20 Torrents, with the first units to be available before the end of 2011. A hearty congratulations to the Torrent team of Peter Moore, Ron George, Mark Hunten, Ricardo Schmidt, Nick Buchholz, Dee Stover, Victor Aguirre, Kathie Zelaya, and Guillermo Montijo for a job well done!
For more information on TORRENT, contact Peter Moore
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