ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 European Spallation Source AB is constructing a world-leading European materials research centre in Lund, Sweden. ESS is partnered by a large number of European countries. FROM Table of contents NEUTRONS 4 TO NEW IDEAS CLEAR FOR 7 TAKEOFF Affecting GETTING A 12 every step in SITE DECISION ENHANCING everyday life RESEARCH 16 POTENTIAL The European Spallation Source ESS will be a powerful research LAUNCHING THE DESIGN 20 tool that uses neutrons to give UPDATE scientists greater insight than ever before into the BUILDING THE 24 nature of materials. ORGANISATION Unlocking the secrets of materials gives us knowledge LAYING THE 29 that can be applied in a wide FOUNDATIONS number of innovative products and processes to enhance our everyday lives, health, ENERGY & 34 ENVIRONMENT and the environment. REACHING OUT TO 36 SOCIETY 2 | ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 | 3 Materials research based on neutron science helps diverse technologies move forward to improve the fabric of our lives. LIGHTING SOLAR PHARMA- POWER CEUTICALS COSMETIC PRODUCTS FUNCTIONAL PACE- FOOD MAKERS CELL- HIP PHONES JOINTS TAILOR MADE MATERIALS BIO FUELS TRANSPORT ARCHAEOLOGY GEO SCIENCE Affecting every step in everyday life 2 | ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 | 3 FROM NEUTRONS TO NEW IDEAS THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE The European Spallation Source, ESS, will be built in Lund, Sweden. This brief guide outlines the scope, site and schedule of the ESS and the new insights it can offer. Neutron-based research is already making a difference WHAT CAN ESS OFFER? to our lives – the ESS will open up even greater opportunities to generate new life-enhancing ideas. ESS will offer a more in-depth way to study materials. In neutron science, N Everyday chemistry: neutrons generating more neutrons creates better conditions for obtaining more detailed have already contributed to the and realistic research results. ESS will be the world’s most powerful neutron source, development of a large range of WHAT IS THE ESS? instruments, which are geared to collect WHEN WILL ESS 30 times more powerful than current facilities of this type. That means ESS can everyday products, and there is The European Spallation Source will specific data on the material being BE READY FOR USE? offer more revealing ways to study materials than are possible today. great potential to advance in areas be a world-leading multidisciplinary studied. The fifth element is the data Hundreds of leading European such as detergents, paint and This research can lead to new discoveries that can be applied in a wide range of materials research centre. A neutron management centre in Copenhagen, scientists have developed and cosmetics. areas to benefit people’s everyday life, health and the environment. With greater source for Europe’s science community, where the research data is analysed. refined the design of ESS. The site insight into materials it will be possible to optimise and tailor materials and gain N Climate: materials research at the ESS facility can be likened to a decision in favour of Lund opens WHAT WILL BE benefits in areas such as: ESS can help to develop transport super microscope, harnessing neutron the way to realising the world-leading ON THE LUND SITE? solutions that reduce climatic beams to provide a superior research neutron source. With a three-year pre- N At the Lund site, the ESS facility Energy: neutron-based research lead to better medicines with fewer impact, by identifying materials tool that can give us a greater in-depth construction phase and a construction will be complemented by another can be instrumental in generating side effects. that can contribute to lighter, safer understanding of materials at an period running between 2013-2018, research centre, MAX IV, which will use the materials knowledge to produce vehicles, cleaner motors and better atomic level. the first research results are expected N New materials: working at atomic synchrotron light to study materials. more efficient batteries, new biofuels catalytic converters. around 2020. A completion phase levels, neutron science has a natural This combination of technologies is and drive the development of The ESS facility will comprise of between 2019-2025 will culminate in affinity with nanotechnology. Future N Environmental technology: set to create a world-leading centre energy-saving hydrogen technology. five main elements. An ion source full specification around 2026 and research at ESS can make it possible with neutrons, the potential for for materials research. In between ESS generates pulses of protons, which signal the start of 40 years of advanced N Health: researchers will have a new to tailor nano-composite materials developing more innovative materials and MAX IV, Science City will include speed up in a linear accelerator as science for the 5,000 European powerful tool to study proteins for tomorrow’s communications and more efficient processes is laboratories, guest hotels, business they head towards the target station. scientists currently using neutrons and cell membranes and how technology. enormous. Future possibilities include incubators, and a visitors’ centre to The impact of accelerated protons for research. N they interact with, for example, bio-degradable plastics and materials create a productive and welcoming causes neutrons to be emitted from the pharmaceutical products, which can to capture carbon dioxide. N target material in a process known as environment for scientists to meet spallation. The neutrons travel through and generate new ideas. beam guides to an array of measuring 4 | ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 | 5 CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF EUROPE GETS BEHIND THE ESS To say that the past twelve months have been a pivotal year for the European Spallation Source would be an understatement. The political agreement at the end of May 2009 to choose Lund in southern Sweden as the site for ESS has been widely endorsed by the scientific community in Europe and has resulted in a growing number of countries – currently 14 – joining together to take the project through a three-year Design Update phase and on to construction, so that the European community of researchers will have at their disposal the world’s most powerful neutron source. This has only been achieved through the dedicated work of many people. Of course the energy and determination of the three competing sites – Bilbao, Debrecen and Lund – ultimately ensured that a decision would be taken. This in turn was made possible by the engagement of ESFRI, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, which resolved to reach a conclusion about the siting of the facility, but none of this would have been possible without the pioneering work over 20 years of an impressive assembly of talent. Now the first hesitant steps are being taken to realise in practice the European Spallation Source. The future decade will be no less challenging than the previous two decades. However, all barriers have been removed and Europe is working together. It will once again require an array of expertise, at least as talented and determined as those who have brought us to this point. But there is no shortage of talent in Europe, and no shortage of determination. Colin Carlile Director of ESS 6 | ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 | 7 CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF A MILESTONE YEAR FOR THE ESS The past year has truly been a milestone year for the European Spallation Source project. Three major events have dominated the year – three MILESTONE 2: events that have paved the way for the actual START OF THE DESIGN UPDATE construction of the ESS. LAUNCHING THE NEXT PHASE MILESTONE 1: The three-year Pre-Construction Phase and the ESS Design Update THE SITE DECISION was launched on 23 October 2009 at the first ESS Steering Committee meeting. The ESS technical design will be optimised in the Design Update. Building an international ESS YES TO A organisation and finalising site preparation activities are key parts of the LOCATION Pre-Construction Phase. FOR ESS The decision reached in Brussels on 28 May 2009 had been eagerly awaited by European scientists for more than a decade. The siting of the ESS has been crucial. It has been a go-ahead for the team MILESTONE 3: in Lund and for scientists all over Europe, and a ESS AB IS FORMED prerequisite for the start of the design work and creating the organisation to build the facility. SETTING UP Sweden will host Europe’s next- THE COMPANY generation neutron facility that, On 20 April 2010 the ESS Secretariat was transformed into a public limited company, European Spallation Source AB. The once built, will be the most power- company will provide a clear framework for the new international organisation. ESS activities are to be transferred gradually to ESS AB ful source of neutrons in the world. over the following months. Physics World, 29 May, 2009. OTHER KEY EVENTS FROM 2009-2010: 8 | ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 ESS ACTIVITY REPORT 2009-2010 | 9 Future MAX IV synchrotron laboratory. Former Minister Lars Leijonborg announcing the site decision at a press conference at ESS, 29 May 2009. Philippe Chomaz, CEA, at MAJOR EVENTS OF 2009-2010 Particle Physics at ESS Workshop. AGREEMENT SPAIN BECOMES HUNGARY ESS AB ON MAX IV ESS PARTNER COMES ON BOARD IS FORMED LAUNCH OF THE ESS SITE DECISION: PRE-CONSTRUCTION PARTICLE PHYSICS ESS APRIL YES TO ESS IN LUND JUNE PHASE WORKSHOP DEC INDUSTRY DAY APRIL MAY OCT DEC FEB 2009 2010 OTHER KEY EVENTS FROM