Spain at crossroads concerning accelerator facility

Science : After Sweden was chosen over Spain to host the European Spallation Source (ESS), a $2.4 billion neutron scattering facility, Spain launched ESS-Bilbao in 2009 in collaboration with Sweden to provide components and serve as a technology test bed for the ESS. Now, however, the governing board of ESS-Bilbao, which is located in Spain’s Basque Country, has removed the project’s scientific director and did not renew the contract of its retiring executive director. Disagreement has arisen among the Spanish government, the facility’s directorship, and the Basque government concerning whether to invest in a large facility in Sweden or in Bilbao. Opinions of Spanish physicists are mixed: Some support a standalone facility at ESS-Bilbao because it could serve a niche market, while others point out the benefits of supporting a larger facility abroad because such a collaborative effort would have more financial support and scientific expertise.