Call for 2022A SPring-8 Research Proposals in Complementary Use with SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku

To encourage research that is expected to produce excellent results more effectively through the complementary use with SACLA (X-ray free electron laser facility), J-PARC MLF (neutron facility) or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku (public computational resource of High Performance Computing Infrastructure including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku; the same shall apply hereinafter) rather than when SPring-8 is used alone, we have been inviting SPring-8 proposals for such complementary use with one or more of these three facilities. Interested parties are encouraged to apply. Please read the following instructions in full before completing application.

Important

1. New Proposal Review Fields (PDF) will be applied to 2022A proposals. Please click here for details.
   Proposal application forms have also been updated, and “Equipment” needs to be selected in addition to “Beamline”. Detailed instruction is available here. Make sure to check “Choose from Beamline” and click “OK” when you select “Beamline” and “Equipment”. Please consult SPring-8 Users Office (sp8jasri@spring8.or.jp), in case you are not sure about “Beamline” or “Equipment”. If you select “Unknown/Others” for “Beamline” or “Equipment”, the review will proceed with the “Beamline” or “Equipment,” which seem the most appropriate.
   In addition, if you cannot find your preferable combinations of “Beamline” and “Equipment”, select “Unknown/Others” and notify SPring-8 Users Office by email of your preferable combinations of “Beamline” and “Equipment”.
   [For applicants choosing “Industrial Application” or “Humanities and Social Sciences” as Review Field]
   If you want to select the preferable equipment from beamline or in case the appropriate equipment is unclear, please check “Choose from Beamline” and click “OK” to choose Beamline/Equipment from pull-down menu at Basic Information on the application form.
2. Due to beamline restructuring, HAXPES will be the only measurement technique at BL46XU from the 2022A term. The multi-axis diffractometer installed at BL46XU will be relocated to BL13 XU after 2021B term. Furthermore, BL46XU was available only for proposals in Industrial Application Field till 2021B term, but BL46XU will also be available for proposals in other review fields in 2022A term.

Special Notes on COVID-19
Special policy will be applied to 2022A proposals in order to minimize the effects of beamtime cancellations due to COVID-19. Please make sure to check here.

Contents

1. What is the Complementary Use Program?

For the efficient and effective delivery of the usage promotion services of the specific synchrotron radiation facilities (SPring-8 and SACLA), the specific neutron facility (J-PARC), and the specific high-speed computer facility (HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku), the three registered institutions (JASRI, CROSS: Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society, and RIST: Research Organization for Information Science and Technology) signed a cooperation agreement in June 2012 in accordance with the “Act on the Promotion of Public Utilization of the Specific Advanced Large Research Facilities”. As part of the cooperation, JASRI and CROSS had independently called for proposals in complementary use of SPring-8 and J-PARC MLF on a trial basis during 2013A & 2013B. HPCI including the K computer was added to this program in 2014A and the supercomputer Fugaku was also added in 2021A. From 2017A, SACLA has been added to J-PARC MLF and HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku as a Complementary Use facility with SPring-8. JASRI have been inviting SPring-8 proposals for such complementary use with one or more of these three facilities.

2. Available Types of Proposals

JASRI regards proposals falling into either one of the following three cases as SPring-8 research proposals in complementary use:

1. You have research proposals approved or already carried out at SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku, and then you are applying for SPring-8 this time, or
2. You are applying research proposals for SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the supercomputer Fugaku as well as for SPring-8 at the same time, which means that the research period you are applying is the same among these three facilities, or
3. You will apply research proposals for SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the supercomputer Fugaku after carrying out your proposal at SPring-8.

Note: Operation of the K computer terminated on August 16, 2019. Full fledged operation of the supercomputer Fugaku started in 2021.

Available types of SPring-8 proposals are as follows:

• – General Proposals (non-proprietary only) (Click the link to see the call for proposals.)
• – Budding Researchers Support Proposals (Click the link to see the call for proposals.)

Click here to see the list of beamlines and research period available for 2022A beamtime by type of proposal. Proposal types marked with ★ are available for the program.

For the specifications and status of experimental stations, please check the Beamline List. If you have any questions, please contact the Beamline Scientist of the desired beamline. To see what kinds of experiments have been performed at SPring-8, please refer to the SPring-8 Solution Database.

For several bunch mode operation, please refer to ” 1.4 Several Bunch Mode Operation in 2022A” in the “Call for 2022A SPring-8 Research Proposals – Overview -” or ” Several Bunch Modes” of the SPring-8 Website.

3. Application Method

To apply for SPring-8 research proposals in complementary use of SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku, you need to submit your proposal to each facility. For information on how to submit your proposal to other facilities, please refer to the links below.
(1) JASRI for SACLA application
(2) CROSS for J-PARC MLF application
(3) RIST for HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku application

Here at SPring-8 (JASRI), applicants/project leaders are required to submit proposals online through the web-based proposal submission system. Please first carefully read the 2. Requirements in the “Call for 2022A SPring-8 Research Proposals -Overview-” and then submit your proposal from the User Information Website.

User Information Website (UI site) > Log in to My Page > Top Page > Create and edit the assignment application form > New

Important Notes about Information Required on the Application:
When completing your application, please take note of the following important points in addition to the 2.2 Application for Beamtime in the “Call for 2022A SPring-8 Research Proposals -Overview-“.

1. Select your Proposal type (General Proposal, Budding Researchers Support Proposal).
2. Place a check mark “Complementary Use of SPring-8/SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku”
3. “Complementary Use Program” section in Proposal Application Form
   1. [Complementary Use Facility]
      　Please make sure to check the complementary use facilities (multiple selections allowed)
   2. [Abstract for Complementary Use]
      　In the Complementary Use section of your online application form, please make sure to indicate that your proposal is intended for combined use of SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku. Specify research goals, why you require complementary use of facilities, expected results from complementary use of facilities, etc.
      　In addition, please make sure to also state the following information regarding SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku applications.
      1. 　 If you have already carried out experiments at SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku, please state relevant information such as the facility’s name(s), dates of research, the proposal number(s), titles of the experiments, name/affiliation of project leader(s), and the research group name(s).
      2. 　 If you plan to apply for use of SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku at the same time as SPring-8, please state application information such as facility’s name(s), dates of research, titles of experiments, name/affiliation of project leader(s) or research group name(s) (including those which are scheduled).

Please note that we may refer to CROSS or RIST for information about your application for use of J-PARC MLF and HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku, respectively.

[Review Field (for General Proposals for Industrial Application and Budding Researchers Support Proposals for Industrial Application)]
If you choose “Industrial Application” for “Review Field” on your online proposal application form, please draft your application offline first using the MS Word template (General Proposal, Budding Researchers Support Proposal (industrial application)) since the information required on the online application for industrial application is different from other areas of research.

[Multiple Applications]
You may not submit a General Proposal and a priority proposal (i.e. Industrial Application Proposal Using Advanced Technology) with the same application details. If your proposal is rejected as a priority proposal, the proposal will then be automatically reviewed as a General Proposal.

4. Submission Deadline for Online Proposals

Thursday, December 2, 2021, 2:00 pm (Japan time)

To avoid last-minute technical problems and possible network congestion caused by heavy online traffic, you are strongly encouraged to complete and submit your application well in advance of the deadline. If you have trouble completing/submitting your application online, please contact the SPring-8 Users Office (see 11. Contact) before the deadline.

Upon successful submission, you will receive a confirmation email attached with a copy of the Agreement (Rules for Users) in PDF format. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please log in to the system and check if your proposal has been submitted successfully.

UI site > My Page Login > Create and edit the assignment application form > Submitted

5. Proposal Review

Submitted proposals are subject to review as proposals for complementary use, and the scientific and technological value, and the research strategy are peer reviewed. (See below for the details of review for each type of proposal).

Your proposal will be reviewed independently by JASRI, CROSS and RIST. Please note, therefore, that your proposal may be accepted by any of JASRI, CROSS or RIST and be rejected by the other.

Regardless of whether your SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku application is approved or not, your proposal will be made public as a SPring-8 research proposal in complementary use with SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku only when it is accepted by JASRI.

5.1 General Proposals (non-proprietary only)

• – Excl. Industrial Application
  Please refer to the 7.1 Non-proprietary Research in the “Call for 2022A General Proposals (excl. industrial application)”.
• – Industrial Application
  Please refer to the 8. Proposal Review in the “Call for 2022A General Proposals for Industrial Application”.

5.2 Budding Researchers Support Proposals

Please refer to the 9. Proposal Review in the “Call for 2022A Budding Researchers Support Proposals.”

6. Notification of Review Results

Review results will be available in “My Page” of UI site at mid-February 2022.

7. Report Submission

7.1 Experiment Summary Report (All Proposals)

Users are required to submit an Experiment Summary Report online within 60 days of their experiment. Submitted reports are made publicly available online two weeks after the report submission deadline for the last experiment of the term (60 days after the end of each half-year research term + two weeks). For details, click here.

7.2 Industrial Application Proposal Report (General Proposal for Industrial Application)

Please refer to “12. Industrial Application Proposal Report” of “Call for 2022A General Proposal for Industrial Application.”

8. Publication of Research Results: Registration of Publication

Publish your results in the form of a refereed journal (incl. refereed proceedings and Doctoral thesis), a SPring-8/SACLA Research Report refereed by JASRI, or a technical journal approved by JASRI, and register the published works with the Publications Database within three years from the end of the half-year research term. In the publications, please clearly state that the results were obtained through the use of the SACLA, J-PARC MLF or HPCI including the K computer / the supercomputer Fugaku as well as the SPring-8.
For details, click here.

UI site > Log in to My Page > Register research results

9. Fees

For information about the beamtime fee and user fees, please see the 3. Fees (Tax Included) in the “Call for 2022A SPring-8 Research Proposals – Overview -.”

10. Deadline for Proposals 2022B (next half-year research term)

Deadline for 2022B proposals (last half of fiscal 2022) is scheduled in early June 2022.

11. Contact