The mission of SEES (Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science) is to advance research and education in synchrotron-based Earth and environmental science to better understand our planet from the atmosphere to the core, to address societally relevant problems, and to train the next generation of scientists. SEES is responsible for the management, operation, and development of multiple user facilities hosted at four DOE-operated US synchrotrons: Advanced Photon Source (APS), Advanced Light Source (ALS), National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL).
2025 SEES-ISRD Joint Meeting
SEES and ISRD invite you to attend our annual meeting to be held jointly at the University of Chicago on August 11-13, 2025. Keynote speakers will discuss topics in rock and mineral deformation and rheological properties in Earth, and there will be a poster session with a broad scientific focus. All SEES and ISRD researchers are welcome and encouraged to attend. Click here to learn more.
Recent Publications
Thorite: An Oddity in Phase Stability Amongst the Zircon-Structured Orthosilicates at High Pressures
Strzelecki, Andrew C., Jason L. Baker, Stella Chariton, Xiaodong Zhao, Vitali Prakapenka, David Bollinger, Sohan Ahmed et al. “Thorite: An Oddity in Phase Stability Amongst the Zircon-Structured Orthosilicates at High Pressures.” American Mineralogist (2025).
High Pressure Synthesis & Superconductivity of Ytterbium Polyhydrides
Zhiwen Li, Xin He, Changling Zhang, Ke Lu, Jun Zhang, Sijia Zhang, Jianfa Zhao, Luchuan Shi, Yi Peng, Shaomin Feng, Zheng Deng, Qingqing Liu, Xiancheng Wang, Luhong Wang, Vitali Prakapenka, Stella Chariton, Haozhe Liu, Changqing Jin, “High Pressure Synthesis & Superconductivity of Ytterbium Polyhydrides,” Chinese Phys. Lett. 42 (4), 047401 (2025). DOI: 10.1088/0256-307X/42/4/047401
Strength, deformation, and the fcc–hcp phase transition in condensed Kr and Xe to the 100 GPa pressure range
B. L. Brugman, M. Lv, J. Liu, E. Greenberg, V. B. Prakapenka, D. Y. Popov, C. Park, S. M. Dorfman; Strength, deformation, and the fcc–hcp phase transition in condensed Kr and Xe to the 100 GPa pressure range. J. Appl. Phys. 7 February 2025; 137 (5): 055109. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0254842
High P-T Single-Crystal Elasticity of Zircon by Brillouin Spectroscopy
Arlacee Luu, Wen-Yi Zhou, Xin Zhong, Ming Hao, Przemyslaw Dera, Jin S. Zhang; High P–T Single-Crystal Elasticity of Zircon by Brillouin Spectroscopy. American Mineralogist 2025
Observation of Exceptional Stability in a Nonlinear Optical Crystal Under Extreme Conditions
Y. Wang, V. T. Barone, S. V. Khare, A. Yang, D. Zhang, Y. J. Ryu, S. Menon, W. Zhou, P. S. Kanthan, M. Kozel, Observation of Exceptional Stability in a Nonlinear Optical Crystal Under Extreme Conditions. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 2412747. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202412747
Graphene Activated Magnesium Diboride for Moderate Pressure and Temperature Hydrogenation to Magnesium Borohydride
Godwin Severa, Lei Wang, Stephen Kim, Noemi Leick, Colleen Kelly, Cody Sugai, Jonathan L. Snider, Andrew G. Norman, Przemyslaw Dera, Isabella Kotsol, Thomas Gennett, Vitalie Stavila, and Craig M. Jensen, Graphene Activated Magnesium Diboride for Moderate Pressure and Temperature Hydrogenation to Magnesium Borohydride, ACS Applied Energy Materials 2025 8 (2), 853-860 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.4c02302
Science Highlights
Uranium oxidation states in zircon and other accessory phases
Shane K. Houchin, François L.H. Tissot, Mauricio Ibañez-Mejia, Matthew Newville, Antonio Lanzirotti, Frank Pavia, George Rossman, Uranium oxidation states in zircon and other accessory phases, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2024, ISSN 0016-7037
Latest Happenings
Matt Whitaker Chairs the NSLS-II Users’ Meeting
Matt Whitaker chairs the NSLS-II Users’ Annual Meeting at Brookhaven National Lab.
New Opportunities and Developments in Synchrotron Earth & Environmental Science
SEES Director Andy Campbell will present a FORCE seminar, New Opportunities and Developments in...
SCSW 2024
GSE welcomes high school women at SCSW 2024.
Computed Microtomography in a Triaxial Cell
GSE staff Y. Wang, M. Yakovlev, M. Rivers, T. Officer, Wenlu Zhu U MD using the HEX beamline at NSLS II working on Computed Microtomography in a Triaxial Cell.