Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The light of SESAME: A dream becomes reality

  • Published:
La Rivista del Nuovo Cimento Aims and scope

Summary

The foundation of the international SESAME synchrotron laboratory in Jordan is described including political, technical, scientific and financial aspects. Following the model of CERN, its objective is not only to promote science but also bring people together from countries with different traditions, religions and mentalities. To create an international organisation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region required sometimes quite unconventional procedures not disclosed in any official document. Because of the exceptional circumstances, a more detailed description of its history may be of interest. Although its success was doubted by many at its start, the facility will start operation in spring 2017.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Some of the information quoted in this article and more (e.g. details about the staff) can be found on the official SESAME Websites: http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/ and http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/about-us/what-is-sesame.html.

  2. Many general articles can be found on the properties of synchrotron radiation, for example Brau Charles A., Modern Problems in Classical Electrodynamics (Oxford University Press) 2004; Jackson John David, Classical Electrodynamics (John Wiley & Sons) 1999

  3. Kunz C. (Editor), Synchrotron Radiation Techniques and Applications (Springer, Berlin) 1979

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacob M. and Schopper H. (Editors), Large Facilities in Physics (World Scientific, Singapore) 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Since some questions as to the splitting of the total amount of $ 600 000 arose, one might consult UNESCO Exec. Board, 162 EX/49 Add, item 11.

  6. Einfeld D., Hasnain S. S., Sayers Z., Schopper H. and Winick H., “SESAME, a 3rd generation synchrotron light source for the Middle East region”, Radiat. Phys. Chem., 71 (2004) 693.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. The White Book: Conceptual Design Report for the Upgrading of SESAME II to 2 GeV, July 2002, http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/machine-and-beamlines/sesame-publications/sesame-white-book.html.

  8. The Yellow Book: Conceptual Design Report for the Upgrading of SESAME III to 2.5 GeV, May 2003, http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/machine-and-beamlines/sesame-publications/sesame-white-book.html.

  9. Vignola G., Amro A., Attal M., Azizi H., Kaftoosian A., Makahleh F., Shehab M., Tarawneh H. and Varnasseri S., Status of SESAME, http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/images/sesame-publications/Others/EPAC20062.pdf and http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/machine-and-beamlines/machine/optics-booster.transferlines,-storagering.html.

  10. For a list of all SR sources in the different regions of the world see http://www.lightsources.org/regions.

  11. “Techno-Economic Feasibility Study” Contract B74100/2002/SSAME/01.

  12. Wa’el Salah and Manuel Sanchez del Rioc, “Geometrical layout and optics modelling of the surface science beamline station at the SESAME synchrotron radiation facility”, J. Synchr. Rad., 18 (2011) 515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wa’el Salah, M. Sanchez del Rio and H. Hoorani, “Ray tracing flux calculation for the small and wide angle X-ray scattering diffraction station at the SESAME synchrotron radiation facility”, Rev. Sci. Instrum., 80 (2009) 095106

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Clément Marcaillou, Manuel Muñoz, Olivier Vidal, Parra T. and Messaoud Harfouche, “Mineralogical evidence for H2 degassing during serpentinization at 300°C/300 bar”, Earth Planetary Sci. Lett., 303 (2011) 281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gonzalo Santoro, Ibraheem Yousef, Frederic Jamme, Paul Dumas and Gary Ellis, “Infrared synchrotron radiation from bending magnet and edge radiation sources for the study of orientation and conformation in anisotropic materials”, Rev. Sci. Instrum., 82 (2011) 033710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ibraheem Yousef, Stephane Lefrançois, Thierry Moreno, Haffez Hoorani, Firas Makahleh, Amor Nadji and Paul Dumas, “Simulation and design of an infrared beamline for SESAME (Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East)”, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 673 (2012) 73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Azzeddine H., Harfouche M., Hennet L., Thiaudiere D., Kawasaki M., Bradai D. and Langdon T. G., “An X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigation of the local atomic structure in Cu-Ni-Si alloy air severe plastic deformation and ageing”, Philos. Mag., 95 (2015) 248; Harfouche M., Ghrair A. M., Jaradat D. M. M., Aquilanti G., Jaber R., Aldrabee A. and Sawai N., “Absorption and Mobility of Cr and Zn in Soil in the Vicinity of Jordan River”, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. (in Press) (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Abdelghany A. M. and ElBatal H. A., “Optical and μ-FTIR mapping: A new approach for structural evaluation of V2O5-lithium fluoroborate glasses”, Mater. Des., 89 (2016) 568; Harfouche M., Aquilanti G., Ghrair A. M., Jaradat D. M. and AlDarabee A., “Elemental distribution and structural behavior of heavy metals in Jordan soils: an XRF and XAFS study” (in preparation).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Nirmeen ElMadanay, “Antiproliferative activity of the combination of doxorubicin/quercetin on breast cancer cell lines: possible role of changes in oxidative stress level”, Masters Thesis, Clinical Pharmacy, The University of Jordan (2015); Worood Shadeed, “Visualization of Different Drugs Effects on the Human Skin Tissue: An Infrared Microspectroscopic Study”, Masters Thesis, Department of Physics, Bir Zeit University (2015); Riyad Jaber, “XAFS: a synchrotron based technique for analyzing soils samples, from Zarqa River and the Industrial Sahab City areas in Jordan”, Masters Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, Jordan University (on going); Adel Beshir, “Adsorption and Mobility of heavy metals in soil systems from Hebron, Jericho and Qalqilia in Palestine (west bank)”, Masters Thesis, Department of Physics, Al-Quds University, Hebron; Safwan Shalaldeh, “Simulating zircon structure around Pb as result of storing non-conventional wastes”, Masters Thesis, Department of Physics, Al-Quds University, Hebron.

  20. For details of the Users’ Office see https://suo.sesame.org.jo.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    H. Schopper

  2. CERN, Switzerland

    H. Schopper

Authors
  1. H. Schopper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Schopper, H. The light of SESAME: A dream becomes reality. Riv. Nuovo Cim. 40, 199–239 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1393/ncr/i2017-10134-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1393/ncr/i2017-10134-8

Search

Navigation