Data Simulation with an On-Line Computer as a Diagnostic and Analytical Tool

A hybrid approach has been adopted in the use of an on-line computer in setting up and analyzing nuclear physics experiments. In addition to the usually cited advantage of online flexibility and the ability to do off-line calculations, the general purpose computer can simulate data by presenting the results of offline calculations to the experimenter in a format identical to that used for data display. As compared with off-line calculations at a computer center with subsequent hand or machine plotting, the use of the built-in display hardware provides a more convenient comparison of theory with experiment, as well as greater ease and speed. The advantages of on-line data transformation are preserved without accompanying limitations on the rate of data taking. The data from the experiment consisted of energy correlations in two-particle coincidence experiments. The loci of points in energy-energy space fulfilling energy and momentum conservation were calculated, displayed, and photographed before each experimental run. Interpretation of the experimental data was assisted by modulation of the loci (i. e., of the number of counts per channel) according to the predictions of various models.