A Fortran programCHOOCH, which derives experimental values of the anomalous-scattering factorsf′′ andf′ from X-ray fluorescence spectra, is described. The program assumes knowledge of theoretical values for the imaginary term,f′′, of the anomalous-scattering factor away from the absorption edge to scale the experimental fluorescence spectrum and thus derive values off′′ near the absorption edge, where tabular data are inappropriate. The Kramers–Kronig relation is used to calculate the real part,f′, of the anomalous-scattering factor. The program aids the decision-making process in macromolecular crystallographic experiments where optimal wavelength selection is required. Magnitudes off′ andf′′ at selected wavelengths can later be used as starting values for heavy-atom refinement with crystallographic phasing programs.

The frequencies of extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) measurements, which are oscillations occurring on the high-energy side of an X-ray absorption edge, can be used to identify interatomic distances in materials. We have used a dispersive X-ray spectrometer, which has no moving components, to make rapid measurements with minimal energy drift of the difference in EXAFS from the Fe K edge in an iron-cobalt thin film undergoing periodic strain through magnetostriction. We show that magnetostriction can be detected by differential X-ray absorption. The magnitude of the recorded signal relative to the noise shows a sensitivity to mean differential atomic motion of one femtometre: a factor of 100 times more sensitive than that normally available.

A new apparatus and technique to determine the absolute energy of X‐rays from a synchrotron source were used to establish the absolute energy of the zinc metal K absorption edge [9661.1(2) eV] and to measure systematic errors in the angular settings of a typical rotation table used for X‐ray spectroscopy. These errors have a period of 1° associated with the worm gear of the rotation table and should provide a warning to other synchrotron radiation spectroscopists that systematic errors exist in experimental data. The technique relies on determining the orientation of a static silicon crystal with respect to the incoming beam by establishing degenerate reflections with differing Miller indices. Absolute energies can be determined for X‐rays with energies greater than 6 keV. An analysis of the system shows that the technique is also useful for the accurate characterization of the monochromator resolution.