Introduction to I12 – JEEP

AP28 OPERATIONS AND COVID-19

England is under ongoing "Lockdown" to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In line with overall DLS policy, Beamline I12 is operating at Level 3 (Remote users only. Experiments run by staff on behalf of users. Limited staff presence to run experiments. No users on site. Strict social distancing and working protocols.)

Principal Investigators of experiments that can run at Level 3 have been contacted to discuss arrangements. 

Where feasible, experiments that can run at Level 2 (up to two users at a time at the beamline) have been scheduled in the period April-June 2021. 

If the DLS Operational Level changes, Principal Investigators will be contacted as required.

Investigators on remote Level 3 experiments are requested to assist as much as possible with setup, data collection and analysis. Please keep in touch with your Local Contact regarding methods of communication and remote access.

**Local Contacts are working long hours, often alone and following strict protocols, to support remote experiments. Please respect their needs to maintain their health and wellbeing**

AP29-AP30 Proposal Call for Beamtime July-December 2021

Guidance for Principal Investigators applying for beamtime on I12

• We anticipate operating at Level 2, which allows up to two users at a time at the beamline. These two users will be socially distanced in separate control rooms. Please plan your experiment so that it can run with a small user team.
• Large teams of users will be impossible to manage. We request that overall, user teams contain no more than four people. That allows teams of two to work in shifts.
• Please use the up-to-date template for writing proposals. It includes questions about how experiments will be run under pandemic control measures.
• Please submit proposals where you have a realistic chance of preparing samples and equipment ready for scheduling as soon as possible.
• We strongly advise having a backup plan for a remote, mail-in experiment, in case users are not allowed on site. Beamline staff will not operate user-owned equipment, so please do not make a backup plan asuuming you can still send it.
• We will consider remote, mail-in experiments using sample environments owned by the beamline. This DOES NOT include the ETMT, which is owned by the University of Manchester. Please discuss your requirements with the beamline staff when writing proposals.
• If you propose using the ETMT, this must be agreed with the University of Manchster at Harwell, prior to submitting a proposal. Please contact uomaharwell@manchester.ac.uk to discuss using the ETMT for your experiments.
• If you are proposing an experiment with your own equipment involving potentially hazardous materials or processes, YOU MUST be able to demonstrate, through tests in your own lab, that the process is under control and will operate safely at the beamline.

Current Operational Issues

Due to a monochromator controller failure, the beamline is operating at reduced flux for imaging experiments. This means that high speed, time resolved tomography or radiography is not feasible, and other imaging scans are taking longer than usual. Diffraction and combined imaging-diffraction experiments are unaffected.

The beamline team is working with the controller manufacturer on temporary repairs and eventual replacement of the system. Work is slow due to COVID-safe working practices.