ANSTO's research capabilities, led by the OPAL nuclear research reactor and associated instruments provide access to users investigating areas as diverse as materials, life sciences, climate change and mining/engineering.
Commissioning
Kowari’s first “experiment” was carried out shortly after OPAL went back to full power: a weld was scanned along the transverse direction, perpendicular to the weld at the centreline indicated on the plate. Neutron intensity versus position across the weld: from the shape a width of the plate of 104.7 mm can be reconstructed. The position of weld corresponds to the dip in intensity.
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In August, Kowari received its operating licence, displayed by the instrument scientists Oliver Kirstein and Vladimir Luzin.
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Our first pole figure (111) of a standard copper sample was measured on Kowari as shown above. At this stage of commissioning the texture option on Kowari leads to comparable results with other pole figure measurements at different neutron and synchrotron beamlines. With some further testing of different samples and instrument set-ups routine texture measurements will be feasible for users very soon.