The storage ring based synchrotron light source SESAME (Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, Image 01), hosted in Allan (Jordan), is the Middle East's first major international research centre, set up as a cooperative venture by scientists and governments of the region, based on the model of CERN, although it has very different scientific aims. As an intergovernmental scientific and technological centre of excellence open to all scientists from the Middle East and elsewhere, SESAME serves as a propeller for the scientific, technical, and economic development of the Region and will strengthen collaboration in science.
SESAME will both:
• Foster scientific and technological excellence in the Middle East and neighbouring countries (and prevent or reverse the “brain drain”) by enabling world-class scientific research in subjects ranging from biology, health, and food to archaeology and cultural heritage, and medical sciences through basic properties of materials science, physics, chemistry, and life sciences;
• Build scientific and cultural bridges between diverse societies, and contribute to a culture of peace through international cooperation in science.
The overall objective of the project Beamline for Tomography at SESAME (BEATS) is to pave the way for an efficient and sustainable operation of the research infrastructure. The project has the following key objectives:
• Develop and consolidate the scientific case and build up a science community, paying particular attention to the R&D and technology needs of the SESAME Members and beyond.
• Design, procure, construct, and commission a beamline for hard X-ray full-field tomography at SESAME;
• Foster collaborations among the project partners in all aspects of the technical work to ensure that a comprehensive transfer of knowledge to SESAME staff is accomplished within the lifetime of the project;
• Address the issue of sustainability of operation by preparing medium- to long-term funding scenarios for the tomography beamline.
The project consortium is very satisfied to state the aforementioned objectives have been achieved:
• The BEATS beamline was successfully installed, is operational within day one specifications and will be available to SESAME’s public user program from beginning 2024 onward.
• By applying concepts of building up a user community (from large scale events, workshops on global and regional character down to personalized contacts in the region, new users were introduced to the facility and SESAME’s visibility was greatly enhanced, in particular within possible new members.
• Intense exchange between the BEATS beneficiaries led to a fruitful knowledge transfer with positive synergies already visible during the last reporting period, during which BEATS was commissioned on location. Worthwile to mention in this context is the fact that SOLARIS will use, as source for one of their newly to be built beamlines, the blueprints of the BEATS 3-pole wiggler design.
