OPAL – the Open Pool Australian Light-water reactor – was the Australian-flavoured name announced today for the country’s new nuclear research reactor by Dr Brendan Nelson, Federal Minister for Science, Education and Training.
“OPAL is a name designed to give this $330 million scientific investment a recognisably Australian name, said Dr Ian Smith, ANSTO’s Executive Director. “We aim to make this OPAL as internationally renowned as the Australian gemstone.”
“OPAL will attract a great deal of scientific attention due to its unique technological features,” Dr Smith continued. “It will enable us to deliver up to four times the quantity of life-saving medical isotopes we currently produce, and generate neutron beams thousands of times more intense than our current reactor, allowing scientists to look at complex atomic structures.
“OPAL will enhance the diversity of the fields our science can be applied in, across environmental, medical and industrial spectrums.
“The new reactor will begin operation in 2006, with its name based on its open pool and light-water characteristics,” continued Dr Smith. “A naming competition held amongst Australian school students influenced the decision for the name, particularly entries from St John Bosco College located near ANSTO and Parnarna Area School on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.”
Dr Nelson’s visit to ANSTO was also to launch the new $3.2 million STAR (Small Tandem for Applied Research) particle accelerator. STAR offers Australian researchers – particularly universities – world class ion beam and accelerator mass spectrometry capabilities to conduct studies into the environment, archaeology, heritage, biology and materials.
“Important work such as carbon dating and forensic analysis will be conducted on this machine, and it will help accommodate increasing scientific demands,” said Dr Smith. “This will encourage innovative Australian research in fields where this was previously
problematic.”
Funding for STAR was shared between the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE), ANSTO, the Australian Research Council and the Universities of Wollongong, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Newcastle, Western Australia, Curtin, Monash, Macquarie, Murdoch, Queensland and University of Technology, Sydney.
The STAR accelerator joins a select family of other radiocarbon facilities around the world.