Newsletter
===========================================================
CLS-News Vol. 2 No. 5 December 12, 2003
www.lightsource.ca University of Saskatchewan, Canada
====================================================================
- FIRST LIGHT!
- Bill’s Bulletin- It has been a very busy year!
- NSERC review findings
- Storage Ring operational!
- Experimental Facilities update
- Election for new Users’ Advisory Committee members- be sure to vote!
- 6th Annual Users’ Meeting Success
- GAC-MAC conference- synchrotron related symposium
- New employees
- Happy Holidays and New Year from the entire CLSI team!
***************************************************************************
1- FIRST LIGHT!
(Contact: jack.bergstrom@lightsource.ca)
Last night, December 9th, at 6:45 pm, the first light was extracted from the synchrotron into the diagnostics beamline!
The diagnostics beamline will measure the characteristics of the synchrotron light and of the stored beam in the storage ring. In a way, this beamline makes sure all systems are working well.
Very preliminary measurements on beam quality (emittance) yielded 100 nm (nanometres)- the expected operational emittance was 40 nm for this particular machine set-up. Tests will continue, as will the optimization of the optics equipment, towards the end of the year.
For a video file showing a raw image of the synchrotron light coming into the diagnostics hutch, as well as an image showing a profile of the light beam click here: http://www.lightsource.ca/media/first_light.php
***************************************************************************
2- Bill's Bulletin- It has been a very busy year!
(Contact: bill.thomlinson@lightsource.ca)
Dear users,
A little over one year has passed since I started my appointment at CLSI. This has been a year of exciting developments and extremely hard work. The dedication of the CLSI team and the cooperation of the entire CLS user community have made the success possible. I’d like to thank all of you who have worked so hard to commission, build, install and promote this facility. A lot of effort has gone towards establishing the agreements, procedures and processes that will allow us to operate this facility safely and efficiently.
Over the last year we have:
- Successfully started the commissioning of the main storage ring
- Proposed seven beamlines to CFI for funding
- Established the User Services Office with Lavina Carter as administrator
- Implemented a safety badge system for all visitors
- Setup housing facility for users
- Hired beamline scientific staff for phase I beamlines
- Drafted Beamline Allocation and Scheduling Policies
- Drafted Beamline Team MOUs
- Developed the CLSI Intellectual Property Policy
- Initiated development of the commercial fee structure
- Expanded our IT program
- Initiated development of Web-based User Access – for registration, proposal submission and training
- Established a new CLS Committee Structure, to coincide with the move towards operations, with the creation of the Beamline Advisory Committee (BAC) and the Science Advisory Committee (SAC)
- Increased UAC Presence on Committees: BAC, SAC, and the Board of Directors.
Over the next few months we will be working hard to:
- Install and commission all seven Phase I beamlines
- Complete the Beamline Team MOUs
- Establish Commercial Access pricing
- Set up the 24/7 self-service user accessible stock room
- Initiate Web based user communications and training
- Begin Phase II Beamline Projects
- Stabilize short and medium term funding
- Establish a Canadian national research facility funding mechanism
- Deliver >1000 hrs of delivered beam to beamlines over the next year, with 100 mA in the main storage ring
- Begin the peer-reviewed general user experimental program
- Recruit a scientific leader for the position of Research Director
At the users meeting on November 15th, I was pleased to announce the creation of the CLSI Research Council, composed of Emil Hallin, Jeff Cutler and Mike Bancroft. The Research Council will focus on nationwide academic outreach - with community assistance- and the development of our internal scientific program. In addition, Emil Hallin and Jeff Cutler have been appointed co-acting directors of research. Michael Bancroft has been appointed Senior Consultant to the Executive Director. I look forward to welcoming you all to the CLS in a few months to pursue your scientific programs.
To view both Bill Thomlinson and Mark de Jong’s Users meeting PPT presentations please go to our home page at http://www.lightsource.ca
***************************************************************************
3- National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Review findings
(Contact: bill.thomlinson@lightsource.ca)
An International Peer Review Panel visited the CLS on Sept. 8-10 to evaluate the CLS on Facility Management and Operations Readiness and review the Beamline Teams Scientific Programs.
The final report submitted by the committee was supportive of:
- The selection of Beamlines for Phase I and II
- The outstanding scientific programs of the Beamteams
- CLS management and planning for operations
- User Community Interactions
- CLS – USASK Joint Integration
The committee expressed concern over the inadequate level of operations funding, noting that as projected, it is significantly below the funds available for comparable facilities abroad. They strongly recommended moving into the operations phase with all due speed, but that actions continue to avert the likely budget crunch.
***************************************************************************
4- Storage Ring operational!
(Contact: les.dallin@lightsource.ca)
After two months of system checks and preliminary commissioning, the electron beam has been stored in the storage ring. On Tuesday November 18th it was first stored for one second (1.75 million revolutions). The following day the beam was “stacked” to a current of 4mA and stored for 20 consecutive minutes.
We would like to thank everyone involved in achieving this significant milestone for their hard work and enthusiasm.
The next step will be to increase the current from the present 4 mA to 100 mA- the initial operating goal- and to increase the half life of the stored beam from 12 minutes to 4 hours.
To see a picture of Commissioning Leader Les Dallin watching the first stored beam on a monitor, on November 19th, please click here: http://www.lightsource.ca/photos/events/Set219_01.jpg
***************************************************************************
5- Experimental Facilities update
(Contact:emil.hallin@lightsource.ca)
Good progress is being made on all of the experimental facilities. The VLS-PGM and SGM components are all in house, vacuum tested and the relationship between the optical surfaces and the external fiducials have been verified, so they are essentially ready to install in their final positions as soon as it is reasonable to do so. We are awaiting some additional gratings which will not arrive from the manufacturer until Q1 2004. The first components can be installed in their final positions on the floor as soon as this can be coordinated with the installation team. The first optical enclosure for these beamlines should be delivered within the week and the vendor will begin the installation process in January. Beneficial occupancy should be available in February.
The soft x-ray spectromicroscopy beamline will receive its final set of components in Q1 of 2004, and the first optical enclosure should be ready for beneficial occupancy by March 2004. The last set of small components to complete the procurement package is being ordered at time of writing.
The IR beamline endstations have both been installed and tested, and the first use of an endstation for an outside user has occurred. The optical chicanes will be delivered and installed in Q1 of 2004 and tested in Q2.
Some few outstanding integration issues with the protein crystallography endstation have been settled, and Pawel Grochulski will be making a vendor visit this December to get an on-site update on progress towards the realization of Q2 or early Q3 of 2004.
The vendor design for the micro-XAFS beamline has been received and the CLS is just issuing permission for the vendor to proceed based on their slightly modified design. The superconducting wiggler is still anticipated to arrive by August 2004.
***************************************************************************
6- Election for new Users’ Advisory Committee members- be sure to vote!
(Contact: Lavina Carter: 657-3523)
A request for you to participate in the Users’ Advisory Committee (UAC) election will be distributed on Dec. 16. If you do not receive a request to vote, please be sure to contact clsuo@lightsource.ca indicating you intend to use the CLS in your research and therefore would like to be represented by the UAC.
The UAC provides advice to the Director on the operation and management of the synchrotron and beamlines; represents the interests of CLS users; provides feedback to CLS management on various aspects of the development and operation of CLS; assists CLS in providing feedback to users about CLS-related issues and plans, and hosts the CLS User's Meetings with assistance from CLS.
Do not miss your opportunity to be involved in the decision making process!
***************************************************************************
7- 6th Annual Users’ Meeting Success
(Contact: tiedje@physics.ubc.ca)
The 6th Annual Users' Meeting and Associated Workshops were held at the University of Saskatchewan, November 13-16, 2003. The meeting attracted a wide range of users and exhibitors, with a total attendance of 300 people. A report on the meeting will be available soon on the UAC pages at: http://www.lightsource.ca/uac/
***************************************************************************
8- GAC-MAC Conference-- Synchrotron related symposium
(Contact: henders@geology.utoronto.ca)
A 2-day synchrotron related symposium will be held at the Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association of Canada’s annual conference (GAC-MAC 2004 http://www.stcatharines2004.ca/) The symposium is being held to honour the recent retirement of Mike Fleet from the department of Earth sciences, UWO. Mike is a recipient of the Past Presidents medal of the MAC and is considered one of Canada’s pre-eminent mineralogists. In keeping with Mikes research interests the symposium will feature both oral and poster presentations from invited and contributing authors on such diverse topics as experimental PGE geochemistry, crystal chemistry/ crystallography, and synchrotron radiation studies of minerals and melts. The symposium is to be held over two days (May12/13) and will be divided into 3 sections: 1) PGEs/Au geochemistry, 2) Synchrotron radiation studies and 3) Other areas.
Keynote speakers include:
Davild Walker (Lamont-Doherty): High pressure partitioning of PGEs.
Loui Cabri (Ottawa): Studying PGE minerals in the 21st century
James Brenan (Toronto): PGEs in magmatic systems
Stephen Kesler (Michigan): The Gold-sulfide association
Richard Pattrick (Manchester): Synchrotron radiation studies of sulphides and oxides
M Kasrai (UWO): Synchrotron radiation studies of sulfur in coals
The abstract deadline is January 19 and is only by electronic submission via the GAC/MAC meeting web page.
***************************************************************************
9- New employees
(Contact: Nancy.fetch@lightsource.ca)
Tom Regier is the new Science Associate for the Spherical Grating Monochramator and Plane Grating Monochromator beamline, working with Dr. Yongfeng Hu and Dr. Ian Coulthard. Tom is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, with a Bachelors Degree in Engineering Physics and is nearing completion of his Masters of Science Degree. Tom joined CLS on November 1/03.
Carole Fontaine is the new half-time Office Administrative Assistant, working for Dr. Mark de Jong, Director of Facility Operations. Carole also shares the Receptionist/User Services Assistant position with Jordan Hamel on a half-time basis. Carole brings nearly 20 years experience in the administration field to CLS. Carole started on December 1/03.
Jordan Hamel is the new Business Development Assistant in the Business Development Office. She will be working half-time with the Business Development team as well as continuing her role at the front desk in a job-sharing position with Carole Fontaine.
***************************************************************************
10- Happy Holidays and New Year from the entire CLSI team!
(Contact: clsi@lightsource.ca)
From the entire CLSI team, we wish you Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you in Saskatoon in 2004!
====================================================================
CLS E-News is an electronic newsletter designed to keep users informed about developments at the Canadian Light Source, the national synchrotron user facility located at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. Current and past issues of CLS E-News are available on the CLS web site: http://www.lightsource.ca/enews/archives.php
To unsubscribe please go to http://www.lightsource.ca/enews/signup.php. We welcome suggestions for topics and content.
===========================================================
Last modified: 2012-01-19 17:01:07