DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR THE UNIV. OF TENN. MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY LABORATORY

This research was supported in part by NASA grant NGL 43-001-006.Author Institution: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of TennesseeAn on line computer based data acquisition and processing system for our high resolution spectrometer is under development. The system nucleus is a small, completely modular general purpose computer with a 16 bit central processor, 4K of fast core memory, an inexpensive cartidge tape for mass storage, appropriate A/D and D/A channels, and a write only incremental tape recorder for communication with the UTCC batch processor. Phase I, currently under way, involves the acquisition of data from the Tennesse 5-meter Littrow using the maximum feasible noise bandwidth in the electronic amplification system and achieving noise filtering by digital methods. Phase II involves the implementation of computer control of prism pre-monochrometers, variable slit curvature and insertion of calibration standards, etc., in a fully fedback system. Results to date will be presented