MUMBAI: The University of Mumbai is set to launch the country’s most advanced carbon-dating accelerator at the Mumbai University Accelerator Centre (MUAC). This state-of-the-art facility, operational from Tuesday, will revolutionise research in multiple fields, including archaeology, forensics, pharmaceuticals, botany and environmental sciences.
Emphasising the significance of the MUAC, Sunil Ojha, a scientist at the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) in Delhi, stated, “This machine operates at a higher power and will yield superior results compared to the machines currently available in the country. Being highly advanced and robust, there is also a reduced likelihood of breakdowns.” Ojha is a member of the team responsible for the reconstruction of the MUAC.
The MUAC aims to bridge the gap between academia, research and industry by extending its use beyond archaeology to pharmacology, climate research and environmental sciences. Prof Varsha Kelkar-Mane, head of MU’s biotechnology department and in-charge of MUAC, emphasised that the facility would place Mumbai University on the global map for accelerator-based research.
After it was envisioned and followed up by MU physics department head Prof Dushyant Kothari and retired TIFR faculty Prof Mayank Vahia, the accelerator was procured from a Netherlands-based company in 2020. However, just then, the Covid-19 lockdown halted all progress; when operations resumed, technical glitches surfaced.
MU vice-chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni subsequently re-engaged Professor Vahia, along with Prof Siddharth Kasturirangan and Prof Abhijeet Bhogale, to resolve the technical issues. After collaboration with experts from IUAC, Delhi, the accelerator was successfully made operational last year.
Vahia said that the absence of advanced carbon-dating infrastructure had historically forced Indian researchers to send samples abroad for analysis, which was both costly and time-consuming. He emphasised the impact this facility would have across multiple disciplines. “There are enormous problems in physics, chemistry, geology and archaeology that require precise dating techniques,” he said. “India’s historic and prehistoric sites often lack accurate dating. This instrument will be a game-changer.”
The total cost of acquiring and setting up the machine was approximately ₹10-12 crore, with MU making an equal investment in building a 24-hour dry, dust-free environment for operations. “To independently conduct radiocarbon dating, MUAC requires an additional ₹4-5 crore investment for the necessary equipment,” said VC Kulkarni. “We have made a budgetary provision for this and MU has also approached funding agencies.”
