Category: Australian Synchrotron

Insights into patient healing after placement of dental implants

Insights into patient healing after placement of dental implants

Griffith University researchers investigated the biological process involved in healing after dental implant placements using imaging data from the Australian Synchrotron. 

Dental implant placements often have lengthy healing periods and risks of other complications. The success of dental implant healing relies on bone tissue connecting with the surface of the implant in a process is known as osseointegration. 

Osseointegration is dependent on tiny living cells that maintain the bone matrix, osteocyte lacunae. The arrangement of these cells allows the bone to adapt and remodel to dental implants.

The team comprising Dr Yuqing Mu, and Prof Dr Yin Xiao used the Micro-Computed Tomography beamline to generate high-resolution 3D images that revealed the structure of osteocyte lacunae around implants in animal bone tissue, during the osseointegration process.  

“The MCT beamline can produce high resolution, three-dimensional images in micron size to visualise small things like osteocyte lacunae. It allowed researchers to see the healing between bone and the implant” explained Dr. Benedicta Arhatari, MCT beamline scientist. 

By understanding the role of osteocyte lacunae in the healing process, scientists can improve design of implant surfaces and materials. This will improve the integration of dental implants, leading to better outcomes for patients.

“Researchers can take MCT images of several different implant material or surface roughness and see how the bone heals to decide which implant material and surface is best for bone healing” added Dr. Arhatari. 

Read more on ANSTO website

Last meal reveals eating habits of Australian sauropod

Last meal reveals eating habits of Australian sauropod

Key Points

  • Research led by Curtin University has confirmed that at least some sauropods were plant eaters
  • The investigation is believed to be the first identification of gut contents in a sauropod
  • Advanced imaging techniques at the Australian Synchrotron and Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering provided supporting evidence of the gut content

International research led by Curtin University and supported by ANSTO, has identified and studied the first sauropod dinosaur gut contents found anywhere in the world. The stomach content was preserved with a reasonably complete skeleton of the Australian Cretaceous species Diamantinasaurus matildae found in Winton Queensland.

Imaging on the Imaging and Medical beamline at the Australian Synchrotron and the neutron tomography instrument Dingo at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering provided supporting evidence of the stomach contents, known as a cololite, and the first sauropod skin found in Australia, which was found associated with the cololite. 

The investigative team, led by Curtin University and Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, included ANSTO, University College London (UK), University of Colorado Boulder (US), University of New England (Aus), Swedish Museum of Natural History, and CSIRO. 

“Our interpretation of this specimen as the preservation of a genuine cololite rests on the physical properties of the rock, studies of the burial decay and preservation processes that affect animal and plant remains as they become fossilised, micro-computed tomographic, and geochemical evidence, as well as the abundance of plants within the cololite relative to other rocks in the site,” explained Dr Jospeh Bevitt, a co-author on the paper published in Current Biology.

“Sauropod dinosaurs are iconic, unmistakable, and include among their ranks the largest terrestrial animals of all time, including Brontosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and Argentinasaurus ,” he added.

“There has been little doubt since the 1870s that they were herbivorous, or plant-eating. However, the specific plants eaten by sauropods, and the heights above ground at which they fed, have remained obscure. This is because of the lack of direct fossil evidence in the form of gut contents— until now,” said Dr Bevitt, an expert in analysing fossilised remains of dinosaurs and other prehistoric fossils.

The Diamantinasaurus cololite allowed the research team to draw several overarching conclusions. At least some sauropods were herbivorous, a confirmation that supported more than 150 years of scientific theory. 

Sauropods did not engage in much processing of food in their mouths, which also supported scientific consensus. 

Read more on ANSTO website

Research confirms antiferromagnetic order in real quasicrystals

Research confirms antiferromagnetic order in real quasicrystals

ANSTO was part of a team led by researchers from Tokyo University of Science and Tohoku University, who have discovered antiferromagnetism in a real icosahedral quasicrystal (iQC), reinvigorating the search for antiferromagnetic quasicrystals.

Quasicrystals (QCs) are fascinating solid materials that exhibit an intriguing atomic arrangement. Unlike regular crystals, in which atomic arrangements have an ordered repeating pattern, QCs display long-range atomic order that is not periodic. Due to this ‘quasiperiodic’ nature, QCs have unconventional symmetries that are absent in conventional crystals. 

Since their discovery in 1984, which was recognized by the Nobel Prize in 2011, quasicrystals have captured considerable attention among condensed matter physics researchers not only for their potential to realize unique quasiperiodic magnetic order but also for their possible applications in spintronics and magnetic refrigeration.

Even though ferromagnetism was recently discovered in the gold-gallium-rare earth (Au-Ga-R) icosahedral QCs, its observation may not be entirely unexpected in the condensed matter physics community, as translational periodicity is not a prerequisite for the emergence of ferromagnetic order. In contrast, antiferromagnetism, the other fundamental type of magnetic order found in nature, is inherently more sensitive to crystal symmetry. 

Although its establishment in certain types of QCs has long been anticipated by theoreticians, it has not been directly observed in real QCs. Experimentally, most magnetic iQCs exhibit spin-glass-like freezing behaviour, with no sign of long-range magnetic order, which has led researchers to question whether antiferromagnetism is even compatible with quasiperiodicity—until now.

The research team was led by Professor Ryuji Tamura from the Department of Materials Science and Technology at Tokyo University of Science (TUS), along with Mr. Takaki Abe, also from TUS, Professor Taku J. Sato from Tohoku University, and Professor Max Avdeev from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and The University of Sydney.

 “As was the case for the first report of antiferromagnetism in a periodic crystal in 1949, we present the first experimental evidence of antiferromagnetism occurring in an iQC,” says Prof. Tamura. Their study was published in the journal Nature Physics.

“This is a very important development, that is attracting considerable scientific interest.  Neutron scattering experiments on the Echidna instrument at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering provided definitive evidence of long-range antiferromagnetic ordering in the Au–In–Eu sample”, said Prof Avdeev.

“Neutron diffraction will be equally important in the studies of other magnetic quasicrystals in the follow-up studies.”

Read more on ANSTO website

Image: First direct observation of antiferromagnetism in an icosahedral quasicrystal (iQC)

Credit: Ryuji Tamura from Tokyo University of Science, Japan

Advanced materials research in microgravity earns NASA recognition

Advanced materials research in microgravity earns NASA recognition

Key Points

  • Collaborative research has advanced an understanding of how colloidal clusters form and behave in microgravity
  • The microgravity environment aboard the ISS minimised sedimentation and convection, providing a unique opportunity to observe the pure self-assembly of particles with unique optical properties
  • Structural analyses were later conducted using neutron scattering instruments at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering

A pioneering study led by Professor Junpei Yamanaka of Nagoya City University and an international team that included ANSTO has delivered transformative insights into the behaviour of colloidal particles under microgravity. 

Conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS), this research has not only been prominently featured in NASA’s 2024 Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station Science but also promises to reshape future material technologies—including revolutionary optical devices and even the elusive cloaking devices reminiscent of science fiction.

Colloidal clusters—aggregates of nano- and micrometre-sized particles suspended in a fluid—play a pivotal role in various industrial and scientific applications. 

“On Earth, gravity-induced effects, such as sedimentation and convection, can obscure the intrinsic properties of these clusters, hindering our ability to study their natural assembly,” explained Principal Instrument Scientist Assoc Professor Jitendra Mata at ANSTO’s Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering. 

“However, the microgravity environment aboard the ISS minimises these disturbances, providing a unique opportunity to observe the pure self-assembly of particles.”

In a specialised experimental setup, the research team mixed oppositely charged colloidal particles in an aqueous solution, allowing them to cluster in of the absence of gravity, providing opportunity to understand fundamental science of association. 

Once these structures were formed, they were immobilised in a gel using ultraviolet (UV) light curing—a process that preserved the delicate architecture of the clusters for subsequent analysis back on Earth. 

Optical microscopy revealed that even minimal gravitational effects post-return can significantly influence the formation of colloidal structures, underscoring the value of space-based research.

This landmark research exemplifies robust international collaboration. The groundwork for the experiments began in Japan in 2018, with critical contributions from Nagoya City University, Japan Space Forum, Advance Engineering Services, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). 

Structural analyses were later conducted in partnership with A/Prof Mata using the Small-angle neutron scattering instrument Quokka and Ultra-small neutron scattering instrument Kookaburra.

“This collaboration has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of how colloidal clusters form and behave in microgravity,” he said.

The significance of these experiments extends well beyond fundamental science. Colloidal clusters have been shown to scatter light in the visible to near-infrared spectrum, making them highly promising for applications in photonics, optical communications, and laser technologies. 

Their unique light-manipulating properties hint at future breakthroughs, including the potential development of advanced optical materials and even cloaking devices—innovations that capture the imagination much like the futuristic technologies portrayed in Star Trek.

Moreover, the ability to study these clusters in a space-based environment opens up new avenues for designing better materials. “

Read more on ANSTO website

ANSTO scientists help refine estimates of global methane emissions

ANSTO scientists help refine estimates of global methane emissions

A groundbreaking international study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres has provided new insights into global fossil methane emissions, using innovative multi-isotopic atmospheric measurements.  

Principal Accelerator Scientist Dr Andrew Smith, a co-author who has investigated methane emissions for over two decades with A/Prof Vasilii Petrenko and others, contributed significantly to this collaborative research, which has improved the accuracy of greenhouse gas emission estimates and support more effective global climate mitigation efforts. 
 

The study, led by Dr Ryo Fujita of the Imperial College London and the Japanese Meteorological Research Institute in Tsukuba, used advanced isotopic analysis, including radiocarbon and stable isotopes of carbon and hydrogen, to accurately distinguish between different methane emission sources. This research is the first research to integrate multiple isotopic datasets to precisely quantify global methane emissions from fossil fuels, biogenic, geologic, and biomass burning sources across the historical timeframe from 1750 to 2015. 

One key finding of the study was that global fossil methane emissions are about 130 teragrams per year for the period 2003–2012, which closely matches the Global Carbon Project estimates, a network of scientists and institutions investigating greenhouse gases. To put this into perspective, a teragram is one trillion grams, approximately equivalent to the mass of water in 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.  
 

Importantly, the study contradicts earlier claims of significantly underestimated fossil methane emissions, bringing clarity to previously conflicting scientific assessments. 

Dr. Smith highlighted the importance of multi-isotopic measurements for resolving uncertainties in methane emission inventories. “This study demonstrates that combining multiple isotopic constraints significantly reduces uncertainties in methane emission estimates. Such precise data are crucial for effective climate policy and mitigation strategies,” he said. 

ANSTO’s Centre for Accelerator Science, a world leader in extracting and accurately measuring radiocarbon from minuscule carbon samples.  This intricate process requires the identification and counting of individual atoms through accelerator mass spectrometry.  

Read more on ANSTO website

A breakthrough in all-organic proton batteries for safer, sustainable energy storage

A breakthrough in all-organic proton batteries for safer, sustainable energy storage

Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed a new type of rechargeable battery that uses protons (H⁺ ions) as charge carriers, offering a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. 

Unlike traditional batteries that rely on metal ions, such as lithium or sodium, this innovative design harnesses protons for fast charge transfer and exceptional stability over thousands of cycles.

The researcher team led by Professor Chuan Zhao at UNSW’s School of Chemistry reported in the prestigious journal Angewandte Chemie the development of a novel small organic molecule called tetraamino-benzoquinone (TABQ), as a cathode material in this proton battery. Developed by PhD candidate Sicheng Wu and Professor Zhao, this TABQ molecules plays a crucial role in storing and transporting protons, leading to remarkable performance and long-term stability.

“Using this TABQ cathode material, we successfully built an all-organic proton battery that performs efficiently at both room temperature and sub-zero freezing temperatures,” said Professor Zhao in a media statement.

A key aspect of the research involved real-time monitoring of chemical changes during battery operation, achieved through advanced synchrotron infrared measurements. Dr Pimm Vongsvivut, Senior Scientist at the Australian Synchrotron’s Infrared Microspectroscopy (IRM) beamline, collaborated with this UNSW team to develop a custom in-situ electrochemical cell and monitoring technique. 

“Through this collaboration, we designed a tailored electrochemical cell and an in-situ monitoring approach to track chemical changes during charging and discharging cycles. Our synchrotron infrared technique provided direct chemical evidence confirming that the energy storage mechanism of TABQ relies on a reversible carboxyl/hydroxyl conversion driven by proton uptake and release during cycling,” said Dr Vongsvivut. 

The study also revealed that intercalated protons (or hydronium ions) can protonate amino groups, contributing to an intermolecular hydrogen-bond network that enhances the battery’s performance. Computational analysis confirmed that protons are more easily stored in TABQ compared to metal ions, reinforcing the efficiency of this organic system.

Read more on ANSTO website

Image: Professor Chuan Zhao holds up a prototype of a proton battery in the lab, made in collaboration with UNSW Engineering and ANSTO.                                      

Credit: Prof Zhao and UNSW

Combatting Food Fraud Using Nuclear Technology 

Combatting Food Fraud Using Nuclear Technology 

To help address food fraud, a training workshop was held to advance the ANSTO-led project “Combatting Food Fraud Using Nuclear Technology (CFF)”, as part of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) in Sydney on 14-16 October 2024. 

Food Fraud

In today’s complex food supply chain, transparency is more critical than ever. Food fraud—intentional alteration, misrepresentation, or substitution of products—undermines food security and poses risks to the environment, health, and consumer trust. 

This pervasive issue affects both developed and developing countries, with less-developed nations particularly vulnerable. The World Health Organization reports that around 1.6 million people fall ill daily from contaminated food, resulting in 420,000 deaths annually. Additionally, global producers face estimated losses of $40 to $50 billion each year.

Dr Debashish Mazumder, Stable Isotope Ecologist, ANSTO, who is the leader of this project, said this project aims to undertake research to establish a food provenance technology platform and a federated database for key priority food items to mitigate incidents of fraud in the supply chain. 

As part of this initiative, previous online training workshops in 2023 led to an agreement on the food items each country will use for the project: a common seafood commodity (Tiger prawn) and an additional item specific to each participating country. All participating countries which harvest prawns will contribute samples. Other food to be investigated include turmeric, rice, mango, honey, coffee, plum, meat and milk.

The outcomes of this project will contribute to the region through developing scientific capability in the application of nuclear analysis techniques in food traceability. 

Representatives from the participating countries, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, The Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam sent participants to Australia, with representatives from Japan attending virtually. Two observers from Fiji, who expressed interest in the project, also attended in person.

The goal of this workshop was to build upon previous engagements and discuss the methodological framework for the federated database of elemental fingerprints of food produce that each country will use during the project.

Read more on ANSTO website

The arrangement and interaction of magnetic moments of atoms

The arrangement and interaction of magnetic moments of atoms

In this study, researchers from a large international team including ANSTO, investigated the magnetic properties of two unique 2D triangular lattice antiferromagnetic materials (2D-TLHAF)* using various neutron scattering techniques. 

Multiferroic materials are being explored for use in advanced computers. Their quantum properties make them suitable for future computing applications, as they can manage and process the significantly larger volume of information more efficiently. Additionally, the unique properties of 2D magnets, such as flexibility and stackability, an ability to control layers of quantum devices or materials to create more efficient systems, have application in magnetism and spintronics.

The materials, hexagonal h-Lu0.3Y0.7MnO3 and h-Lu0.47Sc0.53FeO3, are a type of frustrated antiferromagnet, which means that the spins of the atoms in the material cannot all align in a way that minimises their energy due to the triangular arrangement of the lattice.

Lead author, instrument scientist Dr Shinichiro Yano said the materials exhibit fascinating and complex magnetic behaviours which has been difficult to investigate by conventional neutron scattering techniques.

Their unique magnetic properties and nontrivial quantum effects that can be observed and measured from the cold triple axis spectrometer Sikawith a setup of polarized neutrons and other neutron instruments at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering. 

The study, published in the American Physical Society Journal, reports two irreducible representations* to describe their magnetic structure. 

“These mathematical concepts help us understand how the magnetic moments (spins) of the atoms in these materials are arranged and how they interact with each other.”

Dr Andrew Manning, Helium-3 Polarisation instrument scientist said, “Polarized neutron scattering has shown that accurately describing the magnetic structures of a 2D-TLHAF requires the use of two irreducible representations, rather than relying on the assumption that the system undergoes spin reorientation when using only one irreducible representation.”

Read more on ANSTO website

New antibody-like molecule to prevent infection from malaria

New antibody-like molecule to prevent infection from malaria

The protein mapping workhorses of the Australian Synchrotron, Macromolecular and Microfocus crystallography beamlines, MX1 and 2, continue to support important biomedical research in the development of vaccines and new therapeutics.

The latest publication from University of La Trobe malaria researchers highlights favourable results with a molecule that could inhibit the ability of malaria parasites to infect cells at different stages of the disease.

The research team led by Professor Michael Foley, Professor Robin Anders and PhD candidate Dimuthu Angage of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science showed that the molecule can protect against several different malaria parasite species and was reported in Nature Communications.

In this research featured on the La Trobe University website, they reported that the molecule )WD34 bound with a protein known as AMA1, which is common to many malaria parasite species and is one of two proteins that play a critical role in infection.

“We urgently need broader therapeutic options to combat drug resistance and treatment failures, and this discovery provides some hope for the development of a treatment for all malaria parasite species,” said lead author Professor Michael Foley of La Trobe University in a report on the university website.

AMA1 is a key protein target in malaria vaccines. It helps the malaria parasite invade human and mosquito cells by forming tight junctions with another protein complex. However, AMA1 has many surface variations, which means vaccines based on it only protect against specific strains of malaria.

La Trobe University researchers have identified a new molecule, an i-body, which is similar to a human antibody. This i-body can recognise a common part of AMA1 found in all malaria. The i-body, known as WD34, binds strongly to AMA1 and blocks the parasite from invading red blood cells and liver cells.

The MX2 beamline was used to determine the structure of the WD34-AMA1 complexes.

Read more on ANSTO website

Replacing a component in a nuclear reactor

Replacing a component in a nuclear reactor

Installing a new component in a nuclear reactor could be compared to working in outer space repairing or replacing a part on the International Space Station.

The environment is unique, working conditions are difficult and awkward and all the extensive preparation cannot prepare you for all the unexpected.  Like protocols in space, safety guides every action in the reactor environment.

The installation of a Cold Neutron Source (CNS), a component that reduces the energy and speed of the neutrons from a research reactor for use in scientific instruments, was successfully completed in September 2024. 

The OPAL Reactor Manager said that since OPAL began operations, the successful installation of the CNS is the most significant achievement the group has made as team.  It is a technical milestone with scientific, economic, and national significance. It confirms that OPAL is one of the best and most advanced reactors in the world and will continue to bring benefits in the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology to Australia. 

The new and improved cold neutron source offers ANSTO greater levels of scientific capability. Cold neutrons allow scientists to investigate the unique properties of larger molecules such as proteins and polymers.

Replacement of the cold neutron source is a major milestone for ANSTO, demonstrating our expertise in engineering design and major maintenance activities.

Chronology

.Planning and design activities commenced in 2015, working towards the 2024 shutdown timeline.  The Cold Neutron Source was replaced over a shutdown period which extended from March to September 2024. 

Andrew Eltobaji has been the project manager of the CNS upgrade since its conception, working closely with 20 core team members but drawing on the expertise of 30 to 40 more contributors from diverse disciplines across ANSTO.

The specialist Engineering, Maintenance and Operations team was made up of nuclear engineers, reactor managers and supervisors, technicians, welders, and radiation safety experts.

In the planning stages, the team reached out to several other international research reactors to identify what other facilities had undertaken similar major shutdown activities. This investigation quickly identified that the planned Cold Neutron Source replacement was a unique activity not undertaken by other research reactor facilities.  This resulted in the majority of design development work and maintenance activities being undertaken by ANSTO engineering and maintenance experts. 

To prepare technicians for the operation, a full-scale mock-up of the CNS and reactor environment was constructed to assist in the planning and training of supervisors and technicians. This allowed team members to undertake comprehensive training in conditions which mimicked the real environment. 

The mock-up enabled the team to develop the process for replacing the CNS and develop the specialist tooling required.

The training mock-up facility was used to rehearse the CNS installation activities in a simulated environment and allowed them to complete tasks safely. A team of supervisors were trained using the mock-up to prepare them for their training of technicians.

During the engineering design process, every component in the installation was modelled in a 3D computer simulation. This was used to fabricate prototype components to initially build the full-scale mock-up then used to optimise the design of the CNS itself.

Prior to the commencement of the installation sequence, the level of water in the reactor pool was reduced and a number of reactor components, including pipework, had to be removed to allow access to the old CNS.

The CNS together with associated pipework were lifted out of the reactor and placed in a special shielded device with precision. This was done remotely using cameras and no direct interaction with technicians.

The replacement CNS structure was eight metres tall and had to be installed precisely vertical. Again, this was conducted remotely using cameras and required positioning accuracy to within a few millimetres. Once in place, the various pipes suppling either helium, deuterium or vacuum services were connected and tested. 

The CNS Cryogenic refrigeration system cools helium down to -253°C, which in turn liquifies deuterium, which has a cooling effect on the neutrons.

Many measures were in place to ensure the safety of maintenance technicians.

Read more on ANSTO website

Transistors and NASA’s radiation paradox

Transistors and NASA’s radiation paradox

The nature of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) present a fascinating paradox in space exploration. Their strength in radiation detection becomes their weakness in space operations, exposing an Achilles’ heel for NASA. Yet, these same devices monitor radiation doses received by humans – on earth and in space. 
 

These tiny transistors have transformed everything from consumer electronics to advanced scientific applications. They are essential components in radios, MP3 players and iPods, powered satellite communications and now drive the artificial intelligence age. Their unique ability to measure radiation by capturing changes in electrical characteristics when exposed to ionising radiation is critical in both space exploration and cancer treatment.  
 

Australia leads the development of MOSFET-based radiation detectors for radiation monitoring. In a recently published work, ANSTO scientists and collaborators showed how four MOSFETs can be used to precisely measure radiation doses that patients receive during Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT).

Ironically, this property that we rely on for measuring radiation nearly doomed NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, due to the risk of radiation damage compromising the operation of its MOFET-based systems. Understanding this dual interaction with radiation highlights the importance of innovative solutions in both space missions and healthcare. It is also a great example of how mission-based research impacts everyday life. 

The Versatility of MOSFETs 

MOSFETs are a key component in modern electronics. Following Moore’s Law, the number of transistors in a circuit has increased exponentially over time enabling more powerful and energy-efficient technologies. Companies like NVIDIA use billions of MOSFETs in their GPUs, such as the A100, which is the backbone of  high-performance AI systems. These transistors allow the efficient power management and rapid switching that is necessary for handling the complex operations in machine learning and AI applications,

In jointly published research, ANSTO and University of Wollongong (UOW) researchers used a Quad-MOSFET array to precisely measure radiation quality in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Each MOSFET was coupled to a different moderator (material that interacts with radiation) and measures different energy levels to allow accurate radiation monitoring during treatment.  

Another example is the MOSkin dosimeter, developed at the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics at the University of Wollongong. MOSkin is a skin-mounted MOSFET device that provides real-time radiation dose measurements during radiotherapy. This technology is already being used in clinical settings to improve safety and accuracy in radiation treatments. 

MOSFETs in Space Exploration 

MOSFETs are integral to managing systems and instruments in spacecraft due to their efficiency and low power consumption. However, space environments, especially around Jupiter, expose these devices to intense radiation—a challenge NASA faced with the Europa Clipper mission.

The radiation delivers a harsh cocktail of ionising particles. This radiation can cause single event effects (SEE), where high-energy particles flip a MOSFET’s state from “on” to “off,” causing them to malfunction. It can also cause total ionising dose (TID) effects, a situation in which radiation slowly degrades the MOSFET’s performance by trapping charges and creating defects in the semiconductor material. 

Read more at ANSTO website

Synchrotron techniques powerful tool to reveal inner workings of volcanoes

Synchrotron techniques powerful tool to reveal inner workings of volcanoes

An article in Nature Geosciences has highlighted the power of synchrotron techniques to reveal the inner workings of volcanic systems that could potentially help with predictions of eruptions.

Assoc Prof Tessa Ubide, an Australian Research Council Future Fellow and Associate Professor in Igneous Petrology/Volcanology at The University of Queensland uses X-ray fluorescence microscopy at ANSTO’s Australian Synchrotron to investigate samples that contain an important environmental proxy.

Crystals of clinopyroxene, a calcium, magnesium and iron-bearing silicate mineral containing minor elements like sodium and trace elements including chromium, retain a memory of volcanic processes.

X-ray fluorescence microscopy detects and provides a visual map of the presence of metals in a sample, such as clinopyroxene. Important chemical information can be gathered from the data.

“Knowing what inner mechanisms trigger volcanoes to erupt is crucial to help interpret whether signs of volcanic unrest, such as earthquakes recording magma movement at depth, may herald an eruption, said A/Prof Ubide. 

“It becomes a special crystal ball — instead of showing the future directly, it shows a past of storage and eruption processes that are key to forecasting future volcanism.” 

“Clinopyroxene is such an enigmatic mineral, being used to identify meteorites and to understand ore deposits among many other things. To see it used to understand how volcanos can erupt is extremely interesting,” said beamline scientist Dr Andrew Langendam (pictured above). 

“The work done by A/Prof Ubide really showcases the capabilities of the XFM beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, being able to scan large areas for these indicator metals at high resolution quickly. These samples really benefit from this fast-scanning technique.” 

Read more on ANSTO website

Science supports species survival by tackling contaminants and developing ingenious approaches

Science supports species survival by tackling contaminants and developing ingenious approaches

The education theme of National Science Week is Species Survival, and how science can help ensure that different species survive and thrive in an ever-changing world.

ANSTO’s environment research and technology group focuses on those things that impact the environment, whether that is climate, the availability of water resources or the impact of contaminants.All of these contributing factors have an effect on species survival. If an animal is endangered, it may be even more critical.

At ANSTO we use highly sensitive nuclear and isotopic techniques to characterise the behaviour of contaminants in the environment. 

How do they move through the water, ground and air to affect living organisms, ecosystems and humans? Are they natural or artificial concentrations, are they toxic or radioactive?

These are complex questions, but science is a powerful tool.

 The answers can be used to improve management strategies for mitigating pollution, the degradation of the atmosphere, changes to sub-surface environments and the biosphere. 

They have the potential to improve public health and make human activities more sustainable on a local, regional and global scale.

Research at ANSTO is partly guided by the emergence of contaminant issues in Australia and internationally.   

There are numerous examples of research in this area. 

Read more on ANSTO website

New species of rare 100-million years old flying reptile found in Australia

New species of rare 100-million years old flying reptile found in Australia

An international team of academic researchers led by Curtin University have provided a description of a new species of pterosaur, a flying reptile, in the journal Scientific Reports found in Australia.

The fossilised reptile, Haliskia peterseni, Petersen’s sea phantom, which was found by and extracted by fossil enthusiast Kevin Petersen is believed to have lived around 100 million years ago in eastern Gondwana (now outside Richmond in Central Queensland).

In a report in the Conversation, the lead author of the paper, Curtin University PhD candidate, Adele Pentland described the fossil as only the second partial pterosaur skeleton ever found in Australia.

The pterosaur had a lightweight skeleton with hollow thin-walled bones for flight, that were often not preserved.

The preserved bones included a partial skull and complete mandible, bones that support the tongue and larynx, and parts of the skeleton below the head. 

The bones and teeth suggest Petersen’s Sea phantom consumed fish and squid from a shallow inland sea known as Eromanga.

Senior Instrument scientist Dr Joseph Bevitt assisted the team with an analysis using thermal neutron tomography on the instrument Dingo at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering and complementary X-ray CT using the Imaging and Medical beamline at the Australian Synchrotron.

Read more on ANSTO website

Image: B–C are renders of a digital model generated from Dingo neutron scans. 

ANSTO’s Australian Synchrotron Goes Solar for a Greener Future

ANSTO’s Australian Synchrotron Goes Solar for a Greener Future

More than 3,200 solar panels have been installed across the rooftops of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s (ANSTO) Australian Synchrotron in Clayton, offsetting enough power to light up the whole MCG for more than five years.

The panels, covering an area of nearly 6,600m², including the large and iconic circular roof of the main building that hosts the powerful particle accelerator, will save ANSTO over two million kWh per year while also reducing its carbon footprint by over 1,680 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Director for ANSTO’s Australian Synchrotron, Professor Michael James said the benefit of driving down operating costs is paralleled by ANSTO’s ongoing commitment to a greener future.

“This investment in renewable technology is just one way we can meet our own sustainability goals while also contributing to a cleaner and greener environment,” Prof. James said.

“Electricity is one of our largest operating costs, so our new solar plant will deliver substantial savings and also act as a buffer against increasing energy overheads in the future.

“The reduction in our carbon footprint is enough to offset the running of 367 family-sized cars each year.”

The installation of a 1,668 kWh system and inverter will supply part of the Australian Synchrotron’s total energy requirements and is expected to deliver savings of around $2 million over a five-year period to 2029.

“The saved running costs will be used to support operations as well as the expansion of our research capabilities and facilities,” Prof. James said.

“Going solar was a no-brainer. The size of our rooftops, paired with the ample, uninterrupted exposure to sunlight at our location within the Monash precinct, was a major incentive for us to become more energy efficient.

“While our science facility operates 24 hours per day, during daylight hours, the new solar plant provides a cyclical way to harness the power of light – from the sun to help power our facilities, that in turn, allows us to generate brilliant beams of synchrotron light that are more than a million times brighter than the light from the sun. 

“Some of those brilliant beams of synchrotron light are even used to undertake research into the next generation of solar cell technology.”

The solar panel installation, completed over a five-month period, covers the rooftops of the main Australian Synchrotron building, the Australian Synchrotron Guesthouse, and the Environmentally Controlled Storage Facility.

Read more on ANSTO website

Promising material provides a simple, effective method capable of extracting uranium from seawater

Promising material provides a simple, effective method capable of extracting uranium from seawater

  • Uranium can be extracted from seawater simply and effectively using a new material
  • Adding neodymium to layered double hydroxides (LDHs) improved their ability to capture uranium selectively
  • Multiple techniques at ANSTO clarified the octahedral coordination environment, oxidation state and adsorption mechanism

An Australian-led international research team, including a core group of ANSTO scientists, has found that doping a promising material provides a simple, effective method capable of extracting uranium from seawater.

The research, published in Energy Advances and featured on the cover, could help in designing new materials that are highly selective for uranium, efficient, and cost-effective.

Read more on the ANSTO website