From Outer Space to the Center of the Earth: How NSLS-II Capabilities Enable Geoscience Studies

From extraterrestrial materials to minerals under high pressure deep in Earth’s interior, scientists study the various natural materials and in-terconnected systems of our planet to better understand its origin and evolution, current processes and cycles, and future. This understanding is essential for access to natural resources, preservation of Earth’s critical environment, response to climate change, and protection from natural hazards. To answer important and large-scale questions about our environment, our planet, and our solar system, the keys are often found at the microscale of chemical and physical properties and processes. However, these questions are often so complex that researchers need highly specialized tools to access the intricate details of their samples. As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facil - ity located at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) provides a wide range of capabilities ideal for studying geological samples. The following highlights describe application of several beamlines at NSLS-II, covering a range of spatial and energy scales, for geological research.