The new Brazilian synchrotron light source, Sirius, from the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), carried out the first experiments on one of its beamlines this week. The first research station to start operating, still in the commissioning stage, can reveal details of the structure of biological molecules, such as viral proteins. These first experiments are part of an effort by CNPEM to provide a cutting-edge tool to the Brazilian scientific community working in SARS-CoV-2 research.

We are pleased to inform that Sirius has reached another milestone in its commissioning. In the last few days, the first experiments were carried out on the MANACÁ beamline. The initial tests reproduced structural data already reported in the literature, including the 3CL protein from SARS-CoV-2, indicating that the beamline, still in the scientific commissioning phase, is already able to generate reliable data.

The new director of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Harry Westfahl Junior, took office on January 13^th, at a ceremony held at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM). Westfahl has worked in CNPEM since 2001, and, for the last seven years, held the position of LNLS Scientific Director. Westfahl succeeds French physicist Yves Petroff, one of the world's leading synchrotron light experts.

The engineer and physicist Ricardo Rodrigues (Antonio Ricardo Droher Rodrigues), leader of the engineering team which developed Sirius, has died on January, 3rd, 2020. Sirius is the second synchrotron light source in Brazil, and it is currently being commissioned at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM).

Two days after storing electrons in Sirius’ storage ring, the CNPEM´s team have performed the first x-ray microtomography analysis at the new Brazilian synchrotron light source. Through a simple proof of concept experiment, using less than ten thousandth of the expected power, it was possible to observe the arrival of synchrotron light for the first time in one of Sirius' future experimental stations. This is a major milestone for the project, and a victory for Brazil's science and technology.

Last Saturday, December 14th, CNPEM’s team stored electrons in Sirius's storage ring for several hours. This is a prerequisite for producing synchrotron light, and it happens only a few weeks after the first electron loop around the main accelerator was achieved. In addition, on Monday, December 16th, with the connection of the accelerator to one of the beamlines set up for testing, it was possible to receive the first X-ray pulse, still discrete due to the small number of circulating electrons.

The Sirius project has just completed one of its most important steps: the first electron loop around its main particle accelerator, called the Storage Ring. In this large structure, 518 meters in circumference, the electrons accelerated to very high energies produce synchrotron light: a very bright light used in scientific experiments that could revolutionize knowledge in health, energy, materials and more.

On October 16th, another important stage was achieved in the installation of the largest and most complex project in Brazilian science. Electrons in Sirius’ booster reached the extraction energy of 3 GeV (Giga-electronvolts). Upon reaching this energy in the Booster, electrons are transferred to the main accelerator, called the storage ring. This accelerator is currently assembled, and the next challenge is to get electrons to make a complete loop around it.

The 29th RAU will be held from November 5th to 7th, 2019 at the campus of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), in Campinas, SP. The abstracts submission are still open and we are recieving your contribuition until August 4th. Attention: Registration and abstract submission are in different platforms. Submitting an abstract does not validate as registration.