Discussion journal of the Mössbauer Community

[rueffer AT esrf.fr]

Dear colleagues,

ICAME 2015 in Hamburg is approaching: another exciting conference and
another Nuclear Resonance workshop with new highlights, discussion on
new projects and collaborations and dreams.

In the field of synchrotron radiation based experiments not only scien-
tific but also instrumental challenges are on the horizon. All four
big synchrotron radiation sources in the world are going for a major
upgrade/refurbishment, which will have implications for their nuclear
resonance beamlines. At the ESRF the Phase II of its upgrade programme
started this year with a major upgrade of the machine complex. That will
result in a 100 times more powerful source with respect to brilliance
and coherence enabling new science (see for details the "Orange book":
http://www.esrf.eu/home/about/upgrade/upgrade-programme-documentation/orange-book.html.
The beamline portfolio will be under crucial evaluation in order to
adjust the new portfolio to the new science enabled by the upgrade.
After the necessary shut-down in 2019/20 the beamlines will re-open
for users in summer 2020.

In case of nuclear resonance scattering (NRS) a new beamline with un-
precedented performance will be proposed and will be in reach if the
science case is convincing. Highlights will be a beam size at the sample
position of 150 nm x 50 nm and an energy resolution of 10 micro eV
without compromising count rate, i.e., keeping the count rate essen-
tially the same as of today. The 150 nm x 50 nm beam size will also
become available for the Synchrotron M�¶ssbauer Source with its 5-10 neV
resolution for energy resolved M�¶ssbauer spectroscopy.

However, the competition is enormous and a well substantial and orga-
nized approach will be mandatory to make it happen. The ESRF management
is now seeking with the "call for expression of interest":
http://www.esrf.eu/home/about/upgrade/UPII-call-expressions-of-interest.html
propositions for scientific cases and beamlines/instrumentation to
be enabled by the new x-ray source.

This calls for a pro-active attitude of the M�¶ssbauer community to
identify those scientific areas with pressing needs not accessible today
but in reach with a new Nuclear Resonance beamline.
We ask for your help to identify and elaborate in detail those scientific
cases together with a potential user community. Without the active support
of the community nuclear resonance beamlines may no longer be viable.
The ICAME 2015 and the NRS workshop are unique opportunities to discuss
together a sustainable strategy.

Thank you and seeing you in Hamburg,
Rudolf R�¼ffer.

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Rudolf R�¼ffer                       tel:    (+33) 4 7688 2100
Nuclear Resonance                   tel:    (+33) 4 7688 2619 (secretary)
ESRF - The European Synchrotron     fax:    (+33) 4 7688 2160
CS 40220                            e-mail: 
rueffer AT esrf.fr
38043 Grenoble Cedex 9

http://www.esrf.fr/UsersAndScience/Experiments/MEx/ID18
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