Syncrotrons

Synchrotrons are particle accelerators that produce synchrotron radiation. Synchrotron light is unique in its intensity and brilliance and it can be generated across the range of the electromagnetic spectrum: from infrared to x-rays. Different parts of this broad spectrum can be used for different purposes like protein crystallography, material science, investigation of cell structures.

The first particle accelerators were built by particle physicists in the 1930s. When the particles were forced to move around a circular track, they lost energy by emitting a beam of synchrotron radiation. This biproduct from the accelerators became a valuable research tool and these machines were soon used as a source of radiation.

In the beamline hutch, SNBL

Synchrotron radiation is becoming increasingly important in modern
macromolecular crystallography, and easy and rapid access to
synchrotron radiation facilities has become an absolute necessity
in order to compete in this research field. With increasing complexity
of biological challenges, synchrotron radiation will become essential,
even for preliminary studies of small crystals, low resolution and anomalous
signals.

NORSTRUCT is routinely collecting X-ray data at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facilities (ESRF) in Grenoble, France where extensive collaboration with the Swiss-Norwegian Beamline (SNBL) is well established. X-ray data has also been collected at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) in Zurich and BESSY in Berlin.

Third-generation synchrotrons are now being built near Didcot, Oxfordshire (Diamond Light Source Ltd), Paris (SOLEIL), Trieste (Elettra) and Lund (MAX IV) and might cover NORSTRUCT’s need for synchrotron radiation in the future. The increased complexity of the biological problems to solve, will probably mean that a larger portion of the studies must take place at the synchrotron.