The detector control system of the LHCb RICH detector

The LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is dedicated to the study of b-quark properties. A key element of the LHCb detector is particle identification, a task performed by the ring imaging Cherenkov (RICH) subsystem. Efficient particle identification over the full momentum range of 1 to 100 GeV/c requires an extensive system of detector control and monitoring. The RICH detector control system (DCS) monitors environmental parameters which directly affect RICH performance, such as temperature, pressure and humidity. Quality of the RICH radiator gas is monitored through the DCS using ultrasound and Fabry-Perot techniques. The DCS also monitors and controls low and high voltages of the RICH photodetector and the readout electronics systems, as well as providing overall detector safety. Monitoring of the detector alignment will be performed with a laser and CCD system. Starting from the physics requirements, the RICH DCS hardware devices and software tools are described. An account is then given of system integration into the overall LHCb DCS framework