Effects of salt particles on climate studied at MAX IV

Clouds have a large effect on the climate. They form around tiny aerosol particles present in the atmosphere. Salt aerosol particles can originate from both sea and inland sources such as desert and playa areas. A unique set-up for studying salt aerosol particles at MAX IV will give insights that can inform climate models.

X-ray Coherence techniques in focus for poster prize awardees

Experimental techniques that build on the coherence property of light attract a lot of interest in Sweden and internationally. MAX IV, as the first fourth-generation lightsource, is very coherent and offers plenty of opportunities for development. Recently, the Coherence Conference was held in Helsingborg, and two early career scientists were awarded the poster prize.

Acoustofluidic Crystallography: The next leap in serial crystallography at MAX IV

The innovative project “Acoustofluidic Crystallography” (AFX) is set to revolutionize the field of serial crystallography (SX) by introducing a novel sample delivery method that promises to enhance the efficiency and reliability of experiments conducted at synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). This cutting-edge research is a collaborative effort involving KTH Royal Institute of Technology, DESY, and MAX IV, funded by the LEAPS-INNOV initiative (GA: 101004728).

PRISMAS PhD Programme: Third Call for PRISMAS PhD Applications

We are excited to announce the PRISMAS PhD Programme successfully held its first annual meeting on June 10-11, 2024. This event was the perfect occasion for our students to network, present innovative techniques to be used in their projects, and discuss their work with PIs and distinguished guests. The meeting fostered collaboration and the exchange of ideas, reinforcing the programme’s commitment to developing leading synchrotron experts.

The dawning of new interpretation for RIXS spectra

In a recent study at Veritas beamline, researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden observed parity-forbidden transitions to electronic states in an oxygen molecule due to interference analogous to Young’s double split experiment (YDSE). The findings, published in Science Advances, may change the way spectral data is interpreted for RIXS experiments and refine the conventional wisdom in synchrotron science for the interplay of photons with the dynamics of atomic nuclei in molecules.

xrdPlanner: a new, versatile beamtime planner

Planning and preparing for a beamtime experiment at synchrotron facilities can be challenging and time-consuming, especially for first-time users and students with no previous experience. The team at DanMAX, MAX IV, developed xrdPlanner, an open-source software package to aid the preparation of powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering experiments at synchrotron light sources.

Gut bacteria and atomic structure tell the story of universal blood

In clinical practice it is well established that type O blood, which lacks A and B antigens on the red blood cells, can be safely used in universal blood transfusions for any ABO blood group. Serious or even fatal immune reactions may occur if one receives incompatible blood from a donor. How might we mitigate the risks for low donor supply or unusable blood in emergencies? Research groups from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Lund University now report in Nature Microbiology, an enzymatic conversion method to create ABO-universal blood, a major leap towards human blood that could potentially enable live-saving blood donations to anyone, without negative immune response or the need for matched donor-recipient blood types. Data for the structural determination of key enzymes used in conversion of the ABO-universal blood was collected at MAX IV’s BioMAX beamline.

Excellent progress noted in the first MAX IV operation review 

The Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet, VR), which funds most of MAX IV operations, performed their first operation review on 7–8 May 2024. The six previous reviews by the council since 2018 have been project reviews of a facility under construction. This review was the first of the facility in full operation. On 20 May, the Panel briefed