VME - Real - Time Data Acquisition for the Ultracryogenic Gravitational Antenna of Third Generation

We describe a new design of the front-end electronics for the data acquisition of NAUTILUS, the first ultracryogenic resonant gravitational wave detector, operating in the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. The improved sensitivity of this kind of detector poses new requirements on the data acquisition, as more speed, amplitude and timing accuracy are needed. In this work we discuss the results obtained with a new front-end configuration based on VME standard for a data acquisition rate of 5kHz (present rate 220Hz). We also describe the data acquisition system for the cosmic ray telescope assembled around NAUTILUS and the timing system of both the components.