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).
Facility Status and Upcoming Proposal Deadlines
Events Calendar
Recent Publications
Pardo, O. S., Palfey, W. R., Liu, Z., Goddard, W. A., III, Rossman, G. R., & Jackson, J. M. (2026). Geophysical impacts and spectroscopic identification of a hydrous iron sulfate on icy worlds. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131, e2025JE009238. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009238 Read More
Armstrong, K., Hamilton, S. G., Keane, J., Gombart, J. S., Kunz, M., Tolbert, S. H., and Williams, Q. “A simple wire-coil resistive heater for high temperature radial x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell.” Review of Scientific Instruments 97 (2026): 013905. https://pubs.aip.org/aip/rsi/article-abstract/97/1/013905/3377348/A-simple-wire-coil-resistive-heater-for-high?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Noda, M., Gwanmesia, G. D., Whitaker, M. L., Chen, H., Inoue, T., Sakamoto, N., and Yurimoto, H. “Elasticity of β-Mg2SiO4 containing 1.2 wt% H2O to 10 GPa and 600 K by ultrasonic interferometry with synchrotron X-radiation.” American Mineralogist 111 (2026): 128137. https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/ammin/article/111/1/128/654502/Elasticity-of-Mg2SiO4-containing-1-2-wt-H2O-to-10
Kang, K., Whelan, E. M., Bone, S., Rowley, M. C., Marcus, M. A., & Peña, J. (2025). Wildfire Produces Transient Minerals: Speciation, Reactivity, and Fate of Iron and Manganese in Surface Soils Post Wildfire. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c07438
Nie, Nicole X., Anat Shahar, Peng Ni, Richard W. Carlson, Steven B. Shirey, Corliss K. Sio, Justin Y. Hu et al. “Equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between olivine, pyroxene, spinel and MORB glass: Implications for mantle partial melting to generate MORBs.” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (2025). Read More
Hessam Shahbazi et al., Resiliency, morphology, and entropic transformations in high-entropy oxide nanoribbons. Science 388, 950-956 (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr5604 Read More
Science Highlights
Geophysical Impacts and Spectroscopic Identification of a Hydrous Iron Sulfate on Icy Worlds
Pardo, O. S., Palfey, W. R., Liu, Z., Goddard, W. A., III, Rossman, G. R., & Jackson, J. M. (2026). Geophysical impacts and spectroscopic identification of a hydrous iron sulfate on icy worlds. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131, e2025JE009238. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009238 Read More
A simple wire-coil resistive heater for high temperature radial x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell
Armstrong, K., Hamilton, S. G., Keane, J., Gombart, J. S., Kunz, M., Tolbert, S. H., and Williams, Q. “A simple wire-coil resistive heater for high temperature radial x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell.” Review of Scientific Instruments 97 (2026): 013905. https://pubs.aip.org/aip/rsi/article-abstract/97/1/013905/3377348/A-simple-wire-coil-resistive-heater-for-high?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Elasticity of β-Mg2SiO4 containing 1.2 wt% H2O to 10 GPa and 600 K by ultrasonic interferometry with synchrotron X-radiation
Noda, M., Gwanmesia, G. D., Whitaker, M. L., Chen, H., Inoue, T., Sakamoto, N., and Yurimoto, H. “Elasticity of β-Mg2SiO4 containing 1.2 wt% H2O to 10 GPa and 600 K by ultrasonic interferometry with synchrotron X-radiation.” American Mineralogist 111 (2026): 128137. https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/ammin/article/111/1/128/654502/Elasticity-of-Mg2SiO4-containing-1-2-wt-H2O-to-10
Wildfire Produces Transient Minerals: Speciation, Reactivity, and Fate of Iron and Manganese in Surface Soils Post Wildfire
Kang, K., Whelan, E. M., Bone, S., Rowley, M. C., Marcus, M. A., & Peña, J. (2025). Wildfire Produces Transient Minerals: Speciation, Reactivity, and Fate of Iron and Manganese in Surface Soils Post Wildfire. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c07438
Equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between olivine, pyroxene, spinel and MORB glass: Implications for mantle partial melting to generate MORBs
Nie, Nicole X., Anat Shahar, Peng Ni, Richard W. Carlson, Steven B. Shirey, Corliss K. Sio, Justin Y. Hu et al. “Equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between olivine, pyroxene, spinel and MORB glass: Implications for mantle partial melting to generate MORBs.” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (2025). Read More
Resiliency, morphology, and entropic transformations in high-entropy oxide nanoribbons
Hessam Shahbazi et al., Resiliency, morphology, and entropic transformations in high-entropy oxide nanoribbons. Science 388, 950-956 (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr5604 Read More
Workshops
2026 ISRD SEES Rock Deformation Workshop
A Tutorial on Synchrotron-Based Rock Deformation Experiments This hands-on workshop is to introduce high-pressure, high-temperature experimental techniques using synchrotron radiation in a real beamline environment. Participating researchers will gain practical experience in preparing deformation cell assemblies, operating high-pressure presses, monitoring strain and stress, measuring sound velocities during deformation experiments, and
Events & Outreach
IR Microprobe Project at NSLS-II
The IR microprobe is about to take light! If you are interested in discussing opportunities for “technical and science commissioning” measurements for Earth and Environmental samples then please reach out to Tiffany Victor ([email protected]) or Ryan Tappero ([email protected]) in the NSLS-II Bioimaging Facility (https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/techniques/bioimaging.php) or our NSF-SEES partners in residence — Zhenxian
New Precision Pedestal Enhances 6BM High-Pressure Capabilities
A new, high precision pedestal for the 250-ton hydraulic press has been installed at SEES Beamline 6BM at the Advanced Photon Source. The press is equipped with a D-DIA module and a rotational Drickamer apparatus which covers a pressure range from the crust to the lower mantle. This SEES beamline