Tag: magnetic field

Milestone for superconducting undulator

Milestone for superconducting undulator

A EUROPEAN XFEL TEAM AT THE KARLSRUHE INSTITUTE FOR TECHNOLOGY HAS TESTED A MOCK-UP COIL OF THE SUPERCONDUCTING UNDULATOR PRE-SERIES MODULE (S-PRESSO) DESIGNED FOR AN UPGRADE OF THE EUROPEAN XFEL. IT REACHED A WORLD RECORD MAGNETIC FIELD.

Undulators are one of the most important devices for a free-electron laser like the European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg. With the help of a series of strong magnets an undulator creates an extremely brilliant light by forcing fast-moving electrons onto a slalom course. Furthermore, the undulators stimulate the electrons to emit laser-like electromagnetic radiation.

The strength of the magnets of an undulator determines the tunability of the photon energy range available for experiments. The Undulator Systems Group of European XFEL has started different activities in collaboration with Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY to allow the implementation of superconducting undulators into the European XFEL in the upcoming years. The contract for superconducting undulator pre-series module (S-PRESSO) consisting of two pair of coils and a phase shifter has been assigned to Bilfinger Noell GmbH. Now, a European XFEL team at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology has tested a 30-centimeter-long mock-up superconducting coil designed and build by Bilfinger Noell GmbH. The magnetic field of the S-PRESSO mock-up has reached 2 Tesla, which is larger ever reached before in such undulators.

Read more on the European XFEL website

Image: Undulators like this one cause highly accelerated electrons to emit intense and brilliant X-ray light. European XFEL is currently testing superconducting undulators in order to be able to offer users even better conditions for their research in the future.

‘Diamond rain’ on icy planets offers clues into magnetic field mysteries

‘Diamond rain’ on icy planets offers clues into magnetic field mysteries

A new experiment suggests that this exotic precipitation forms at even lower pressures and temperatures than previously thought and could influence the unusual magnetic fields of Neptune and Uranus.

An international team of researchers led by researchers from the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory gained new insights into the formation of diamonds on icy planets such as Neptune and Uranus. Scientists believe that, following their formation, these diamonds would slowly sink deeper into the planetary interior in response to gravitational forces, resulting in a ‘rain’ of precious stones from higher layers. 

The results, published today in Nature Astronomy, suggest that this “diamond rain” forms at even lower pressures and temperatures than previously thought and provide clues into the origin of the complex magnetic fields of Neptune and Uranus. 

“‘Diamond rain’ on icy planets presents us with an intriguing puzzle to solve,” said SLAC scientist Mungo Frost, who led the research. “It provides an internal source of heating and transports carbon deeper into the planet, which could have a significant impact on their properties and composition. It might kick off movements within the conductive ices found on these planets, influencing the generation of their magnetic fields.”

Longer timescales

In earlier work conducted at SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), scientists were able to observe “diamond rain” as it formed in high-pressure conditions, confirming the possibility of diamond formation on icy planets, which are primarily composed of water, ammonia, and hydrocarbons. They later discovered that the presence of oxygen makes diamond formation more likely, allowing diamonds to form and grow at a wider range of conditions and throughout more planets.

Previously, the high pressures and temperatures were generated by shock compressing the hydrocarbons with high power lasers, which only allows the conditions to be maintained for a few nanoseconds.  In this new experiment, conducted at the European X-ray free-electron laser in Germany, the team studied the reaction over much longer timescales than other experiments using a different approach.  

Read more on the SLAC website