antimatter: an antiproject eric phranque joey. history: paul dirac 1928: formulated mathematical...
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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 AntimatterIt 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?
• 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?
+ -VS
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
doneHe
Anti-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
Containment Field
Anti-Blob
Ouchies...but why?!
• 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:• 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• 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• 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?
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?• 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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