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X-ray micro tomography is a non-destructive, three-dimensional inspection technique applied across a vast range of fields and disciplines, ranging from research to industrial, encompassing engineering, biology and medical research. Phase-contrast imaging extends the domain of application of X-ray micro tomography to classes of samples that exhibit weak attenuation, thus appear with poor contrast in standard X-ray imaging. Notable examples are low-atomic-number materials, like carbon-fibre composites, soft matter and biological soft tissues. We report on a compact and cost effective system for X-ray phase-contrast micro tomography. The system features high sensitivity to phase gradients and high resolution, requires a low-power sealed X-ray tube, a single optical element, and fits in a small footprint. It is compatible with standard X-ray detector technologies: single-photon-counting offers higher sensitivity whereas flat-panels are preferred for a larger field of view. The system is benchmarked against known-material phantoms and its potential for soft-tissue three-dimensional imaging is demonstrated on small-animal organs: a piglet oesophagus and a rat heart.

AWAKE, an Advanced Wakefield Experiment is launched at CERN to verify the proton driven plasma wakefield acceleration concept. Proton bunches at 400 GeV/c will be extracted from the CERN SPS and sent along a 750m long proton line to the plasma cell, a Rubidium vapour source, where the proton beam drives wakefields reaching accelerating gradients at the order of gigavolt per meter. A high power laser pulse will co-propagate within the proton bunch creating the plasma by ionizing the (initially) neutral gas. An electron beam will be injected into the plasma cell to probe the accelerating wakefield. The AWAKE experiment will be installed in the CNGS facility. First proton beam to the plasma cell is expected by end 2016. The design of the experimental area and the integration of the new beam-lines as well as the experimental equipment will be shown. The needed modifications of the infrastructure in the facility will be presented., Proceedings of the 5th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2014, Dresden, Germany

Here we report the results of multiple analytical techniques on sub-mm particulate material derived from Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to provide a better understanding of the events that occurred and the environmental legacy. Through combined x-ray fluorescence and absorption contrast micro-focused x-ray tomography, entrapped U particulate are observed to exist around the exterior circumference of the highly porous Si-based particle. Further synchrotron radiation analysis of a number of these entrapped particles shows them to exist as UO2-identical to reactor fuel, with confirmation of their nuclear origin shown via mass spectrometry analysis. While unlikely to represent an environmental or health hazard, such assertions would likely change should break-up of the Si-containing bulk particle occur. However, more important to the long-term decommissioning of the reactors at the FDNPP (and environmental clean-upon), is the knowledge that core integrity of reactor Unit 1 was compromised with nuclear material existing outside of the reactors primary containment.

The Advanced Proton Driven Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Experiment (AWAKE) is a proof-of-principle R&D experiment at CERN. It is the world’s first proton driven plasma wakefield acceleration experiment, using a high-energy proton bunch to drive a plasma wakefield for electron beam acceleration. The AWAKE experiment will be installed in the former CNGS facility and uses the 400 GeV proton beam bunches from the SPS, which will be sent to a plasma source. An electron beam will be injected into the plasma cell to probe the accelerating wakefield. Challenging modifications in the area and new installations are required for AWAKE. First proton beam to the experiment is expected late 2016. The accelerating electron physics will start late 2017. This paper gives an overview of the project from a physics and engineering point of view, it describes the main activities, the milestones, the organizational set-up for the project management and coordination., Proceedings of the 6th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2015, Richmond, VA, USA