MARS beamline is aiming to extend the research capabilities on radioactive matter ( a, ß, γ and n emitters) towards the use of synchrotron radiation in multidisciplinary fields (biology, chemistry, physics) with respect to safety national and European laws. This beamline will be considered as a listed installation under authorization from ASN (French Authority for Nuclear Security). Because of its special characteristics the total equivalent activities present at the same time including the storage on the beamline could be up to 185 GBq with a maximum of 18.5 GBq (0.5 Ci) per sample. The design of MARS beamline (infrastructure and optics) is also optimized to alternatively run three experimental stations in order to perform characterizations from high resolution X ray powder-diffraction (XRD), X ray fluorescence (XRF),X ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and dispersive XAS (DXAS) for time resolved studies (ms scale).
Leading research institutes in France , such as the CEA and the CNRS support this project.

Current status (January 2010):
Currently, only the monochromatic branch is operational. The standard XAS and transmission XRD station is open to the call for proposals. Experiments on the high resolution diffractometer will open to call for proposals of September 2010.
 
For more details concerning the experimental end stations please check here.
 
Only low radioactive samples (below the French exemption limit) are currently allowed on the beamline. The authorisation to manipulate highly radioactive samples is foreseen on 2011.
 
Fore more details concerning the safety rules for radioactive samples please check here.