DIRC detector upgrade for the GlueX experiment

The upgrade of the GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab with a DIRC (Detection of Internally Reflected Cherenkov light) counter will significantly improve the particle identification (PID) capabilities in the forward region of the detector by providing clean π/K separation for momenta up to 4 GeV/c. The GlueX DIRC combines four bar boxes from the decommissioned BaBar DIRC detector with new compact photon cameras based on the SuperB FDIRC concept. Two reconstruction algorithms were developed to optimize the hadronic PID performance. Benchmark physics channels of cleanly identified exclusive events will be used for DIRC performance studies. The DIRC counter will be installed into the GlueX experiment during the winter 2018/2019 shutdown and commissioned with beam in February 2019. We will discuss the status of the GlueX DIRC detector and first impressions from the commissioning run