CERN and Europe join the Middle Eastern synchrotron. Italy will participate through INFN and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste

CERN and the European Commission are joining (by helping with its construction) the scientific adventure of SESAME, the first “supermicroscope” using synchrotron light to be built in the Middle East, currently under construction in Jordan with contributions from countries whose political profiles are sometimes very much at odds. The agreement was announced today. As soon as Parliament will give its green light, Italy will also participate through INFN and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste. The Ministry of Education, University, and Research (MIUR) has asked for funding and awaits the final approval by the relevant parliamentary commissions.

 

Italy, thanks to its skills in the manufacture of these instruments, will produce on behalf of SESAME some parts of the machine (the resonant cavities) and will be responsible for training staff.

The construction of SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) began in 2003 and is scheduled to be completed in 2015. It is located in Allan, just to the north of Jordan’s capital Amman.

SESAME is one of the most ambitious research facilities in the Middle East. It is a synchrotron light source and works much like a gigantic microscope, with applications ranging from nanotechnology to biology and cultural heritage.

SESAME is a unique collaborative venture based in Jordan with the participation of scientists from Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, and Turkey. Along with its scientific objectives, the project aims to promote peace in the region through scientific cooperation.

Through the agreement announced today, the European Commission will contribute €5 million while CERN will supply SESAME with the magnets for the electron storage ring that is at the core of the facility. The European Commission had already contributed over €3 million to the project through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument and provided support for the computing network and data management. 
Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 November 2018 11:56