Swedish X-ray science at the future PETRA IV - a national priority
The priority conclusion was one output of the VR's bi-annual inventory of researchers' needs. The inventory report also concludes that X-ray science at PETRA IV and MAX IV have the same priority.
Background
Envisaging the need for a high energy complement to MAX IV, Sweden commissioned the construction of the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline in the 2010s. This commisioned beamline has been operational since August 2019.
The operational costs for the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline, as well as Swedish priviledged access to all PETRA III beamlines, is funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR). VR manages funding for the PETRA III Swedish beamline as part of its overall responsibilities concerning Swedish national research infrastructures.
VR also provides funding for infrastructure upgrades - on the prerequisite that these upgrades are needed for research that is in Sweden's national interests.
Since there are ongoing plans to updgrate PETRA to its fourth generation, CeXS is liasing with DESY, the Swedish materials research community, and VR about the science cases for Swedish materials research at PETRA IV. One outcome, in autumn 2020, was that the Swedish community submitted 3 Scientific Instrument Proposals (SiPs) to DESY as input to DESY's PETRA IV beamline portfolio design. One of these was the most highly ranked of all proposals that DESY received. The other two also rankled highly. CeXS also discussed with the Swedish community the research community's view on VR's bi-annual inventory call that was anounced in 2021.
Proposal submitted
Consequently, in October 2021, CeXS submitted a proposal to VR's needs inventory call on behalf of the Swedish research community. This was based on the Scientific Instrument Proposals (SiPs). It stated the research case for Swedish materials science research also at the future PETRA IV
Outcome of the needs inventory review
The Swedish Research Council have just published the review of this, and 40 other proposals, on . X-ray science at the future PETRA IV has been grouped with X-ray science at MAX IV - meaning that both infrastructures have equivalent priority.
VR indicated that in the next call for funds to upgrade infrastructures, the highest priorities will be for infrastructures that have ongoing grants that terminate in 2023 or 2024.
Planning horizon
DESY's plans for PETRA IV are still fluid. PETRA III is currently scheduled to shut down on 31 December 2025. Upgrade will then begin, with PETRA IV's first beamlines scheduled to be available for beam time on 1 January 2028. CeXS are engaged in an ongoing dialogue with DESY about their plans. CeXS are also conducting a prestudy for Swedish materials research at the future PETRA IV.
CeXS will naturally continue the dialogue with the Swedish Research Council about the PETRA upgrade plans, including discussing our prestudy findings, and the financing planning horion.