The Middle East's first synchrotron is in peril

Amor Nadji and three young engineers are restructuring Bessy, a particle accelerator into SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), a giant microscope that would enable scientists from Jordan and nearby countries to investigate the atomic structure of different materials. Nadji and his crew collected about 20 of the boxes from the warehouse in Zarqa and brought them back to Allan. The engineers have spent a year and a half trying to coax the microtron into producing an electron beam. First, an electron gun must fire a 2-microsecond microwave pulse bombards a cathode, causing its surface to emit some electrons. These electrons must then enter a cavity that will be fed with 3-gigahertz radio waves to speed up the electrons. The engineers set up the microtron on a wooden bench in the main hall. They ran exhaustive tests on its vacuum pumps, radio-frequency generator, and electromagnets. The engineers are testing the booster ring, which accepts the electron beam from the microtron and accelerates it before transferring it into the storage ring.