Establishment of a Slovene consortium SYNCHRO-SI to collaborate in establishment and use of a new synchrotron beamline in Elettra Trieste
Today, 24 May 2024, Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of the University of Maribor (UM), and Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, Rector of the University of Primorska (UP), signed an agreement in Koper, with which they established the Slovenian consortium SYNCHRO-SI.
The Slovenian consortium will collaborate with the multidisciplinary research centre of excellence Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. (Elettra) and the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). Together, the partners will create and use a new beamline in the Elettra synchrotron.
Elettra and TU Graz are cooperating for some time already and have invited the UM to collaborate with them and establish and use a new beamline. UM invited other Slovene research institutions to share an investment and further collaborate in research. UP saw an important opportunity in this invitation for its further research breakthroughs.
Synchrotron is a device enabling acceleration of electrons through sequences of magnets until they reach almost the speed of light. High energy electrons are used in different research, e.g. studying elementary particles. During the acceleration process, groups of electrons moving almost with the speed of light through circular paths, produce a very bright light. Characteristics of the synchrotron light, such as its intensity, collimation and a possibility to select the wavelength, enable research, which could not have been done otherwise. This enables research in dynamics of some of the physical and chemical processes, while the technology also enables work on unstable samples and saves significant amount of time.
Synchrotron Elettra is situated close to Basovizza in Trieste surroundings. It is a central part of the science centre for biology, chemistry, medicine, physics, materials and other fields. Circular accelerator was designed as a source of synchrotron light, while the central ring has 260 metres.
Based on all these advantages, prof. dr. Zdravko Kačič, UM rector and prof. dr. Klavdija Kutnar, UP rector signed an agreement formally establishing a consortium SYNCHRO-SI, and defined their obligations, responsibilities and expenses for establishing and using a new synchrotron beamline.
