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CESSAMag delivering impact

Livia Lapadatescu — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 07:43:30 +0000

CESSAMag delivering impact
by Livia Lapadatescu (CERN)

The main objective of the FP7-CESSAMag (CERN-EC Support for SESAME Magnets) project was to support the construction of the SESAME light source in the Middle-East. With financial contribution from the EC, CERN’s main objective was to deliver the magnetic system and its powering scheme for the SESAME main accelerator ring, as well as to support the training of SESAME staff. Completed at the end of 2016, the project fulfilled or exceeded all its objectives.

Scientific and technical impact of CESSAMag

Section of the SESAME Main Accelerator Ring (Image credit: CERN)

Building upon SESAME studies, CESSAMag finalized the requirements and design and produced the engineering and technical drawings of the SESAME magnets and powering scheme. The first main result of CESSAMag is the production of design reports on the combined function bending magnets, on the quadrupole magnets (long and short), on the sextupole magnets with their auxiliary corrector windings and on the powering scheme. These design and engineering study reports were used as background for the technical specifications needed for tendering and can serve as reference for the construction of similar light sources.

During the tendering process, CERN made a special effort to place orders not only with experienced European companies, but also with companies based in some of the SESAME Members (Cyprus, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey), without former experience in accelerator components (except for Israel), but demonstrating potential and motivation. This was achieved through effective knowledge transfer from CERN and generated potential commercial impact in the companies trained.

All magnets successfully passed the acceptance tests at either ALBA-CELLS or CERN and their measured field quality and reproducibility from magnet to magnet are excellent, making them a reference for similar synchrotrons. Therefore, a key result of CESSAMag is the string of magnets forming the SESAME storage ring, composed of:

16 combined function bending magnets (dipole + quadrupole)
64 quadrupoles of two types: 32 long focusing and 32 short defocusing quadrupoles
64 sextupole/correctors

CESSAMag also contributed to the production of an improved magnet powering scheme: rather than procuring power supplies adapted to each kind of magnet, another approach was proposed by CERN, based on light source standards (PSI), which allows individual powering of quadrupoles and simplified maintenance by plug-and-play modules by standardizing interfaces. With this strategy, SESAME benefits from a powering strategy more powerful, flexible and robust than initially foreseen.

Following the decision to procure some components from companies based in the SESAME Members and thanks to the in-kind contribution of Pakistan, offering the assembly of 50% of the sextupoles, CESSAMag managed to deliver a more powerful and complete magnetic system and reduce the financial share that SESAME was due to contribute to the project.

Finally, CESSAMag contributed to the magnet integration and commissioning, with the goal of making SESAME fully in control of the equipment delivered by CERN.

The first beam was circulated in the SESAME main accelerator ring on 11 January 2017 and it was stored and accumulated up to 20mA in mid-February. The next step is ramping the beam and completing the RF stations and final acceleration assessment expected before the end of summer. The inauguration ceremony of the SESAME light source will take place in mid-May with the foreseen presence of high-ranking officials from SESAME Members and Observers. The first user experiments are foreseen to start in Q3.

Political and social impact of CESSAMag

A significant aspect showcasing the socio-economic impact of CESSAMag is the knowledge transfer to companies from SESAME Members and training of SESAME staff. The duration of training to staff, engineers and companies from SESAME Members amounts to about 90 person-months and the CERN personnel effort in training and knowledge transfer amounts to 16 person-months.

In the context of CESSAMag, international collaborations and agreements were established between CERN and SESAME and CERN and ALBA-CELLS; implementation agreements were formed with PAEK (Pakistan), TAEK (Turkey) and ILSF (Iran) and an informal collaboration with IAEA, which provided financial support for training and experts’ visits between CERN and SESAME. These collaborations and agreements illustrate the international and science diplomacy dimensions of the project.

Furthermore, the European Union acknowledged the science diplomacy impact of CESSAMag and made further steps in support of SESAME. Since 2015, the EU is an Observer in the SESAME Council and the EC decided to further support the training of SESAME users and staff in the framework of the OPEN SESAME (Opening Synchrotron Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) H2020 “Policy and international cooperation measures for research infrastructures” project.

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This article is based on the Project Final Report.

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issue 20

Moedas on SESAME and science diplomacy

Jennifer Toes — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 15:46:19 +0000

Carlos Moedas on the importance of SESAME as a model for science diplomacy
by Livia Lapadatescu (CERN)

EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, during his visit to SESAME in Jordan, April 2015. (Image credit: 2015-2016 CERN)

At the 28^th SESAME Council held in May 2016 in the premises of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, gave an introductory talk on SESAME as an example of cooperation in the Middle East through science diplomacy.

SESAME, as a model of scientific cooperation in the Middle East, is part of the European Union priority to ensure that European Research and Innovation are “Open to the World” and was an inspiration for the book on Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World – a vision for Europe, published by DG Research and Innovation in May 2016. Science diplomacy has been one of the priorities of Commissioner Moedas and three science diplomacy pillars have been set up: (i) building bridges and improving international relations; (ii) addressing global challenges through sound scientific advice; (iii) embracing globalization through enhanced STI cooperation. For example, Carlos Moedas gave the initiative of FP7 CESSAMag project as an example and a trigger, and his visit to CERN and the CESSAMag laboratory in January 2015 was the beginning of the first pillar with SESAME bridging divides in the Middle East.

In the framework of this first pillar historical agreements were signed associating some countries to Horizon 2020, such as Ukraine and Tunisia in 2015 and Armenia and Georgia in 2016. Another example of a bridge-building activity is the PRIMA initiative (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area), a cooperation in the Mediterranean region, bringing neighbours at odds together, on how to ensure the sustainable provision of vital resources such as water and food.

In the context of the second pillar, a high-level group of seven scientific experts for scientific advice on specific policy issues in Europe was set up. In addition, a Science4Refugees programme was launched to help refugees with a science background find suitable jobs in universities and research institutions in the EU.

With respect to the third pillar, progress has been made towards the creation of a Global Research Area based on the development of a Common Research Area for the EU, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This has been manifested by the decision of the 28 EU member states to make scientific papers freely available by 2020 or the setting-up co-funding mechanisms with China and Mexico.

To conclude, the EC Commissioner, informed participants that €2M had been earmarked for SESAME in the 2016-2017 Horizon 2020 Work Programme and stressed the fact that he has become emotionally involved in this project and would continue to be the SESAME Ambassador and an advocate on scientific cooperation in the Middle East through SESAME.

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FP7 CESSAMag and science diplomacy

Jennifer Toes — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:55:02 +0000

FP7 CESSAMag and science diplomacy
By Jennifer Toes & Livia Lapadatescu (CERN)

Visit to CERN by Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation (Image: CERN)

The CESSAMag project has achieved key milestones this year, with the delivery of the magnets and power converters for the SESAME synchrotron light source in Jordan and the support for the installation and alignment of the first cell (consisting of magnets, vacuum chamber and a girder) in its final position (see video below).

Installation of SESAME’s Storage Ring Begins (Video: SESAME)

The installation of the first storage ring cell in February of this year heralds more than simply the next stage of construction in this scientific project. Indeed, SESAME will be the Middle East’s first major international research centre, and is the result of collaboration between its nine members in the Middle East and neighbouring countries on the model of CERN.

The road to a first international major scientific infrastructure serving the scientists of the region is a challenge, especially for researchers and institutions based in regions affected by particular political and cultural tensions. Several synchrotron laboratories in the world, international organizations and learned societies have given support to the SESAME members for this venture. FP7 CESSAMag is specific in that it combines science and diplomacy with the participation of CERN and the European Commission.

As part of the CESSAMag project, the dipoles, quadrupoles and sextupoles for SESAME were produced in Spain, UK, Cyprus and Pakistan. Switzerland, Italy and Israel provided the controllers and power supplies, while the coils for quadrupoles and sextupoles were produced in Turkey and France. This large participation, including companies in SESAME members, was allowed by ordering parts for the quadrupoles and sextupoles, rather than complete magnets. The coordination was provided by CERN experienced engineers, and led to outstanding products.

Fostering further science diplomacy, CERN also welcomed engineers and technicians from Iran, Jordan, Pakistan and Turkey to work on the design, production and testing of the power supplies, power supply racks and magnets assembly as part of the CESSAMag project.

Originally from Turkey, Evrim Onur Ari came to CERN as an Electronics Engineer in 2014 to work as part of the Storage Ring Magnet Power Supplies Team.

“I really got excited when I learned the details of it” says Onur Ari, explaining why the project appealed to him. “[It is] a science collaboration between countries which were counted as political rivals. The biggest motivation behind this collaboration was peace.”

This sentiment was shared by Ehsan Yousefi, an Electronics Engineer and Head of the Power Supply group at the Iranian Light Source Facility (ILSF) who came to CERN for seven months in 2015:

“Besides scientific achievements and improving skills in power supply design, I could learn how to live abroad, face new challenges and experience a different lifestyle where different cultures are respectful towards one another.”

Iranian researchers in particular have felt the impact of the sanctions against Iran. Javad Rahighi, Professor of Experimental Physics and Director of the ILSF commented “On the example of CESSAMag, we would like to see SESAME and other collaborations utilising the expertise already existing in Iran."

Indeed, science diplomacy not only hopes to foster peace between nations, but provide the conditions to facilitate the flow of skills and information between them.

“Being involved in this project gave me a general view about specifications and design of dedicated power supplies” said Ehsan, noting his experience may now be utilised in his work at the ILSF.

In addition, Azhar Nawaz, a Mechanical Engineer working in Pakistan, notes that his company’s experience of manufacturing magnets for SESAME has given them the experience to participate in future CERN tenders and other projects.

Of course, due to the nature of science diplomacy the potential challenges for researchers extend beyond the technical. Whilst Azhar Nawaz states that assembling the sextupole magnets was a “very challenging job as magnet manufacturing was a new field” for his team, Evrim Onur Ari notes a further challenge of working internationally due to differing cultural practices: “Sunday is counted as a part of weekdays in Jordan, whereas it is a part of the weekend in European countries; the reverse is true for Friday. We had effectively four days in common during the week."

Indeed, whilst many international collaborations must overcome the impact of time zones, differences in the working week of different countries pose a further hurdle still, as despite both teams working full time, the potential days for collaboration are reduced.

The FP7 CESSAMag project has been acknowledged by the SESAME Council as a major influencing factor to its continued progression, and hopefully will be one of many efforts in the name of science diplomacy that allow excellence in physics and peace to go hand in hand.

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