SESAME, the Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, has announced the successful delivery of the first X-ray photon beam to the experimental station of the BEATS (BEAmline for Tomography at SESAME) beamline. The milestone achievement took place on Thursday, May 11, 2023. A statement by SESAME on Monday said that during the experiment, the beamline detectors obtained over 1000 X-ray radiographic images of a rotating test sample in a mere 12 seconds. The collected data was then processed and reconstructed using the high-performance computing facility specifically designed for the beamline, which was installed at SESAME in 2022. This cutting-edge technology enables the generation of a detailed 3D image of the object under study. The BEATS beamline offers full-field X-ray radiography and tomography, two powerful and non-destructive techniques for 3D imaging and analysis of various objects and materials. This non-destructive approach is of significant importance to the fields of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, as it provides virtual volume images that aid in the characterization of internal microstructures. Moreover, tomography plays a crucial role in achieving a comprehensive understanding of diverse materials, objects, and organisms. The applications of the BEATS beamline span a wide range of scientific and technological fields, including medicine, biology, engineering, materials science, earth sciences, and planetary sciences. Its availability at SESAME enhances the scientific capabilities and research opportunities for scientists and researchers in the region. The design of the SESAME BEATS beamline draws inspiration from the tomography beamline at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) and has been fully optimized for absorption and phase contrast imaging. Great care has been taken to ensure the coherence of the X-rays. The X-ray source utilized is a 3T 3-pole wiggler, which significantly enhances the photon flux at X-ray energies up to 80 keV, enabling the investigation of a wide range of materials and samples. Gianluca Iori, the BEATS beamline scientist, expressed his excitement, stating, "We were euphoric observing the first 3D images of BEATS only a few minutes after starting our tests. It was the realization of four years of hard work, which made everyone at SESAME extremely proud." The construction of the BEATS beamline was made possible through a collaborative effort between leading research facilities in the Middle East (SESAME and The Cyprus Institute) and European synchrotron radiation facilities, including ALBA-CELLS (Spain), DESY (Germany), Elettra (Italy), the ESRF (France), INFN (Italy), PSI (Switzerland), and SOLARIS (Poland). The European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program provided the funding for this initiative, which was coordinated by the ESRF. Researchers will have the opportunity to submit proposals to utilize the BEATS beamline starting in September 2023, opening up new avenues for scientific exploration and discoveries at SESAME.

Source: Jordan News Agency