ANTIMATTER: An Antiproject Eric Phranque Joey

HISTORY: Paul Dirac 1928: Formulated mathematical equation describing the behaviour of an electron Combined Einstein’s theory of relativity and Heisenberg’s quantum theory. Equation proved the existence of both a negatively charged and positively charged electron: predicting the existence of the antielectron, and other antiparticles. Won a Nobel Prize in 1933 At his Nobel Lecture, he predicted a whole different universe composed entirely of antimatter Image Courtesy of http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/wiki/images/math/

Discovery of the Positron Discovered by Carl D. Anderson while observing Cosmic Rays (high energy particles from space that enter Earth’s atmosphere in showers) Observed tracks in cosmic rays passing through cloud chambers. Tracks were left by something that behaved like electrons, had the same mass of elctrons, but had positive charge After a year of observation, Anderson proved Dirac’s equation and concluded these objects to be positrons(antielectrons) Won Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1936 Image Courtesy of http://www.roanestate.edu/obs/

Creating the Antiproton and Antineutron In 1954, Ernest Lawrence built the Bevatron could collide two protons at the energy of 6.2 electron-volts, which was thought to create antiprotons Team of physicists built an antiproton detector to see the antiprotons being created. Just a year later, a different team using the bevatron created the first antineutron Image Courtesy of http://hif.lbl.gov/experiments/early_expts.html

The Antideuteron Deuteron: a particle created by the fusion of a neutron and a proton The first “antideuteron” was created in 1965 by two teams led by Antonino Zechichi and Leon Lederman fused an antineutron with an antiproton This was the first “antinucleus” created and could possibly be used as a nucleus for an antiatom someday. Antideuterium: a fused antiproton,antineutron with a positron orbiting it (yet to be created) Image Courtesy of http://www.ipj.gov.pl/common/images/dszd/glossary/en/nucleus.gif

Antihydrogen: the First Antiatom Special machine called a Low Energy Antiproton Ring (LEAR) used by German and Italian physicists in 1995 to slow down an antiproton in order to stick a positron to the antiproton in an orbit This experiment was a success and the first anti-atom was born This simple anti-atom is antihydrogen No fusion of all three antiparticles has taken place (antineutrons, antiprotons and positrons) Image Courtesy of http://hussle.harvard.edu/~atrap/antihydrogen.gif

Properties of Antimatter It matters...get it? What makes antimatter, antimatter? How did it get here What happens if I poke it? What does it look like and how does it behave?

What makes Antimatter Antimatter? - + VS Particles with opposite charge Make that, particles of the same mass with opposite charge Really, there's not much more to it I'm not joking, it's really that simple! Don't believe me? Look it up yourself! Why are you still reading this? Electron & Positron Proton & Antiproton Neutron & Antineutron

Anti-atoms: they're what's for dinner Composed of ANTI-particles as opposed to normal particles -Eg. Hydrogen = 1 proton + 1 electron Anti-Hydrogen = 1 anti-proton + 1 positron Have actually been synthesized (in small quantities) in particle accelerators such as the one at CERN You could theoretically synthesize heavier elements, however it has not yet been done Anti- He He

Where did it come from? RULE: Antimatter is always created with and when matter is The first antiparticles to be observed were created in Cosmic Rays. High energy particle (Cosmic Ray) smashes into Particle in atmosphere Some of the resulting energy recombines to form antimatter and matter in equal amounts Most antimatter these days is produced in produced in Particle Accelerators High energy particle (accelerated via accelerator : P) smashes into a target (big hunk of metal). Enormous amount of energy is released, some of which recombines into matter and antimatter pairs.

What happens when I poke it? A wonderful question indeed. In all likelihood, if you managed to stick your hand in a containment field and actually touch it, upon meeting the particles in your hand, the antiparticles and particles would ANNHILIATE each other, releasing the rest energy of all the particles in your hand. Unless you had a very small hand, this would likely vaporize everything within the radius of the resulting explosion. Needless to say, you probably wouldn't want to do that Anti-Blob Containment Field

- = + Ouchies...but why?! + BOOM!!!! Another wonderful question! Antiparticles and their corresponding particles eliminate each other upon their meeting (each release all of rest energy) So... When the particles in your hand meet the particles in the antimatter blob... - + BOOM!!!! = +

What does it look like? How does it behave? Yet another wonderful question! You see, we haven't really observed enough antimatter to make a definite conclusion. However, by our current hypotheses from symmetry principles, we've concluded that antimatter behaves exactly as its matter counterpart in all aspects, except the parity and magnetic fields are reversed. Current experimentation at CERN wishes to answer this question So perhaps a sock puppet created out of antimatter would like like and behave like (in this case, behave poorly) just as it's matter counter-puppet would

APPLICATIONS? Femtogram: Picogram: Nanogram Microgram Milligram Gram Low velocity nuclear physics Experimental analysis of solids Vacuum measurement Picogram: Local 3D density imaging in solids Gravitational mass experiments High-density quark-gluon physics Trace 3D passageways in solid crystals Treat inoperable tumors/cauterize lesions Anneal faults in solids Nanogram Long-range interior imaging and analysis Small thruster experiments Microgram Medium thruster experiments (100lbs) Small item industrial welding Milligram Large engine experiments (100,000lbs) Small probe propulsion (100lbs) Gram Space transporting Supporting Phranque’s antimatter needs for a year or so

Fields for Applications Medical Industrial Military Educational Transportation Rocketry Phun? ANTIMATTER?

Medical Imaging the human body Treatment similar in theory to CAT and MRI scans Called Antiprotonic Radiography (APR) Antiproton is shot into body at high rate of speed Annihilation releases rays/particles that can be detected (repeat many x for high res) Computer compiles data into virtual map Treatment Stronger Antiproton beam Annihilation releases enough energy to destroy a tumor or cauterize a lesion Accurate to 2mm

Industrial Imaging solids Repair/Shape Same type of machine, but antiprotons at higher speeds are used (to penetrate higher densities) Easy scanners for faults in structure? Repair/Shape Stronger beams can anneal a fault in a solid metal Magnetic and electric fields can shape a beam to carve out microscopic tunnels in a material Much more accurate and available on a smaller scale than milling, molding, or laser shaping Supercomputer the size of a sugar cube?

Angels and Demons is wrong Military Bomb? NO! Energy released is not explosive in nature Costs more to make than potential targets it can destroy Beam (again!) Long range scanner Disable electronics/mechanisms Highly accurate Angels and Demons is wrong

Educational Explore subatomic world Several new subatomic/elementary particles have been discovered as a result of antimatter Explain electromagnetic, gravitational, strong and weak nuclear forces

Transportation Cars? Submarine! Way too complex to harness Too expensive A little dangerous Submarine! Smaller, more effective than nuclear reactors of today Quieter military spy subs? Explore deep trenches? Water Polo? Whatever sinks your submersible!

Rocketry Great idea, but how? Parts: Trap to store antimatter (Penning/Paul) Reaction mass Nozzle to control annihilation and exhaust direction Makes impossible missions possible! Max mass ratio of 5:1 Speeds approaching that of light are achievable Rendezvous with Alpha Centauri (4.3 LY): 770lbs Antimatter 20 tons reaction mass 0.2c Possible within Human Lifetime

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