Since the Advanced Photon Source (APS) shut down for a comprehensive upgrade in April of 2023, the original electron storage ring has been replaced with a new, state-of-the-art accelerator that will provide X-ray beams that are 500 times brighter than the APS. First light of the APS-U source is expected in Spring of 2024. A short run (2024-2) will precede an August 12 shutdown for maintenance.
During the year-long shutdown, we have been busy upgrading the GM/CA beamlines. Almost everything has been replaced or upgraded to take full advantage of the new source. The beamlines will provide very intense X-rays over a wide range of user-selectable beam sizes and energies.
The GM/CA startup schedule includes re-certification of the radiation shielding, validation of the beamlines' performance relative to specifications (technical commissioning), the collection of data in both traditional rotational and serial crystallography modes (scientific commissioning), and restarting the General User Program. We plan to commission 23-ID-B first and anticipate welcoming users to help with the scientific commissioning. Please be in touch if you are interested in participating in scientific commissioning. Check the GM/CA website for the latest updates on the startup and commissioning activities and schedules. We will post information on this website as soon as it is available.
A call for general user beam time proposals for the 2024-2 Run was recently issued. The new Universal Proposal System will be used going forward. Please note: the new Universal Proposal System requires the use of your ORCID ID to log in to the system. For more information about the new Universal Proposal System (including detailed instructions to access the system the first time), please visit the APS website: https://www.aps.anl.gov/Users-Information/About-Proposals/Apply-for-Time. All new proposals will be reviewed, but beamtime will not be allocated until the beamlines are ready.
We appreciate your interest and hope to welcome you back soon and to support your important science!
Thank you,
GM/CA staff
GM/CA @ APS
