ESS

The European Spallation Source ERIC (ESS) is a research infrastructure committed to the goal of building and operating the world-leading facility for research using neutrons. The ESS will deliver a neutron peak brightness of at least 30 times greater than the current state-of-the-art, thus providing the much-desired transformative capabilities for interdisciplinary research in the physical and life sciences.

The ESS officially became a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) in October 2015. The facility is under construction in Lund (Sweden), while the ESS Data Management and Software Centre (DMSC) is located in Copenhagen (Denmark). The ESS has 13 Member Countries. A total of 15 instruments will be built during the construction phase to serve the neutron user community. In the long term, expansion of the suite up to 22 instruments is anticipated. First science mission is scheduled for 2023 followed by a user programme for the earliest instruments.

The ESS will be an attractive and environmentally sustainable large compound including industrial and laboratory buildings, office space and guest accommodation facilities all housed within a significant architectural design that will make an impact on the world’s stage. Before the expected world-scale scientific impact is realised with the operation phase, the construction of the ESS already has a direct economic impact by generating growth and jobs, advancing development and fueling innovation potential in the Öresund region and across the EU.

The realisation of ESS enables access to frontier technology, experienced technical and scientific staff as well as unique production facilities and technologies, which would otherwise be unattainable. In addition, the ESS will be a key instrument for addressing the Grand Challenges through novel insights on matter at molecular and atomic level and applications to energy, carbon sequestration methods, health issues at biology level as well as drug development and delivery strategies, plant water-uptake processes of relevance for agriculture, novel data storage materials, and more.

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