The development of high-energy charged particle accelerators such as the Bevatron and of improved nuclear-event detection devices such as the Berkeley 72-in. hydrogen bubble chamber has greatly increased the need for high-speed data reduction of nuclear events. Full exploitation of the potential of the 72-in. bubble chamber demands a very high-speed analysis system. This paper describes an approach to such a system.

The principal types of particle accelerators are described briefly according to operation and history. Known operating particle accelerators are listed with their pertinent dimensions.