A Multi-Wire Chamber System for Heavy Ion Beam Monitoring at the Bevalac

Horizontal and vertical integrated beam-current profiles are generated by a system of multi-wire chambers (32 wires/profile) operating in either the ionization or proportional mode. Sixteen distinct displays (1024 words) are digitally stored and any four may be simultaneously displayed. A new display can be generated at 64 ms intervals. A central control unit selects the mode of operation, the amount of delay after an appropriate trigger, the chamber integration time, and the particular chambers to be displayed. Operating in the proportional mode relativistic heavyion beam intensities as low as 104 charges cm-2 sec-1 can be detected.