NZ scientists endorse Australian Synchrotron

Synchrotron light.

New Zealand scientists joined over 300 Australian experts at a Synchrotron Users workshop in Melbourne earlier this year, to make recommendations on the A$157.2 million project.

Although Prime Minister Helen Clark has already officially endorsed the project, the New Zealanders wanted to emphasis to the Australian scientific community the importance of our researchers having access to world leading technology such as the synchrotron.

The New Zealand contingent, Drs Graeme Gainsford and Donald Pooke from Industrial Research, Associate Professor Jim Metson, New Zealand’s representative on the national scientific advisory committee, and Professor Geoff Jameson from Massey University, believe the potential of this project is huge for New Zealand.

“Currently both New Zealand and Australian scientists requiring synchrotron facilities must fly to Japan, Europe or the United States which obviously adds costs to the exercise,” Dr Gainsford said.

As representatives of Industrial Research, Drs Gainsford and Pooke were also interested in any appropriate uses for Industrial Research’s High Temperature Superconductor (HTS^[?]) wire or HTS coils in either the applications or the storage ring part of the synchrotron.

“We are keen for Industrial Research and New Zealand contractors to be a part of this project. There might be some spin-off business – either with the construction phase of the Synchrotron building(s) and associated facilities, or any of the components.

“To this end we have invited the Boomerang 20’s technical director, Alan Jackson, to visit Industrial Research’s Gracefield site later this year to discuss New Zealand’s possible involvement in the project, particularly in the construction phase,” Dr Gainsford said.

Boomerang 20

The Boomerang 20, a device that uses extremely high energy electrons to create very bright, pinpoint beams of light a million times brighter than sunlight, will be housed at Monash University in Melbourne.

The synchrotron light can be split up into different component wavelengths, such as intense X-rays, on “beamlines” so providing essential tools for science and industry for investigating molecular structures, other material properties and for medical and industrial applications. Another A$50 million is required for the construction of the proposed initial set of nine beamlines.

Dr Gainsford has first hand experience travelling to the United States to use a Synchrotron for important research. As a small molecule crystallographer he needed to analyse the complex compounds of Immucillin H molecules with absolute certainty. His research assisted Industrial Research scientists to path the complex manufacturing process of powerful anti-cancer drugs currently in Phase I clinical trials.

Other uses of synchrotrons worldwide have been to:

• Trace the distribution of pollutants in a wetland
• Manufacture microscopic machines such as motors so small they can fit through the eye of a needle
• Analyse ore samples to establish the value of a possible mining site
• Analyse a hair sample for trace elements to determine whether Beethoven died of lead poisoning
• Test wood to determine its load bearing capacity
• Make light bulbs that use less electricity