Envirosynch - Announcement of Opportunity

July 2007

Synchrotron-based Earth and Environmental Science Research Initiative (Enirosynch2): Travel and Subsistence Funding

Applications are invited for travel and subsistence awards to fund research trips to international synchrotron radiation facilities. This small initiative is jointly funded by the NERC and Diamond Light Source (DLS) and aims to build and develop the use of synchrotron radiation techniques in all fields of Earth and Environmental sciences research. The initiative is a response to the UK’s new 3^rd generation synchrotron radiation facility (DLS) coming on-line and the ‘dark period’ of lower synchrotron beamtime availability as stations on the Synchrotron Radiation Source close and new facilities open on the DLS over the coming years.

Envirosynch2 offers funding for economical travel and subsistence costs to support up to three members of a research team for up to six days to undertake synchrotron-based experiments at any facility outside of the UK. Applications for enabling funds will also be considered eg cost of sample transport. The project should be aimed at developing new techniques and/or applications which will enhance the capability of the UK community. The initiative will also accept applications from groups wishing to undertake research on existing projects using techniques which will not be available in the UK during the dark period. The initiative will last, in the first instance, for two years with two application deadlines each year on 1^st November and 1^st April.

In particular, the initiative will be used to promote the use and development of new techniques and/or science which could be implemented on beamlines currently under construction on the DLS, or which could be incorporated into future beamline proposals for phase III of the Diamond project^*. Examples of techniques and science areas include:

• Soft X-ray spectroscopy technique
• X-ray microscopy studies (eg Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy)
• Geomicrobiology studies (eg X-ray microscopy and Infrared)
• State-of-the-art dilute element EXAFS spectroscopy
• High pressure and other extreme conditions studies
• High resolution time-resolved studies, analyzing reactions on millisecond time-frames
• Solution/mineral interface studies (eg crystal truncation rod diffraction)
• X-ray tomography.

* Funding for the phase III part of the Diamond project has not yet been agreed.

 Proposals should be prepared using the appropriate form which can be downloaded here (Microsoft ‘Word 2000 for Windows’ format).