Tellus Experiment. Method for Signal Conditioning and Data Acquisition System, based on Variable Amplification and Feedback Technique

In many space and ground-based applications of interest for the TELLUS Experiment the amplitude and frequency content of analog signals to be detected is a priori unknown and can lie in a very large range of values [1-5]. This is a particularly challenging problem to be managed, especially when the data acquisition and signal analysis must be carried out in extreme environments where large data processing resources are requested together with a low power consumption and high efficiency of the device. The method is specifically useful when power spectrum of measured signals exhibits a very large variability in the different frequency bands making particularly difficult the runtime signal analysis of the phenomena under study. The method proposed within the TELLUS Experiment is of particular interest in two applications. The first being an analysis of multi-channel analog signals constituted by several frequency components each one of which exhibits very different amplitudes that need to be simultaneously registered by the acquisition system. The second application further enhances the specific characteristics of the method when, in addition to manage multichannel analysis, we should treat multiparameter data (i.e. data relating to signals of different nature associated with parameters or fields different from each other) [6].