New Opportunities for Neutrons in Environmental and Biological Sciences

Johs, Alexander; Qian, Shuo; Coates, Leighton; Davison, Brian; Elkins, James G.; Gu, Xin; Morrell-Falvey, Jennifer; O'Neill, Hugh; Warren, Jeffrey; Pierce, Eric; Herwig, Kenneth

doi:10.1007/s11783-024-1852-z

Title: New Opportunities for Neutrons in Environmental and Biological Sciences

Journal Article · 15 April 2024 · Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1852-z · OSTI ID:2349207

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

The use of neutron methods in environmental and biological sciences is rapidly emerging and accelerating with the development of new instruments at neutron user facilities. This article, based on a workshop held at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), offers insights into the application of neutron techniques in environmental and biological sciences. Here we highlight recent advances and identify key challenges and potential future research areas. These include soil and rhizosphere processes, root water dynamics, plant-microbe interactions, structure and dynamics of biological systems, applications in synthetic biology and enzyme engineering, next-generation bioproducts, biomaterials and bioenergy, nanoscale structure, and fluid dynamics of porous materials in geochemistry. We provide an outlook on emerging opportunities with an emphasis on new capabilities that will be enabled at the Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station currently under design at ORNL. The mission of scientific neutron user facilities worldwide is to enable science using state-of-the-art neutron capabilities. We aim to encourage researchers in the environmental and biological research community to explore the unique capability afforded by neutrons at these facilities.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 2349207

Journal Information:: Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, Journal Name: Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 18; ISSN 2095-2201

Publisher:: Springer - Higher Education PressCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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