Production and Storage of Antimatter
Production
of antimatter in labs
What exactly happens in the particle accelerator to produce
antimatter? Two beams of subatomic particles, either
protons or lead ions, move extremely fast in opposite directions
through separate tubes of the accelerator. Each time the
particles travel the length of the circular accelerator, they gain in
speed, eventually moving almost as fast as the speed of
light. Magnets cause the particles to increase in speed
until they force the particles together to cause a collision (CERN, How
the LHC Works 2008).
Magnets can also separate
out the antiprotons since they are negatively charged and protons are
positively charged. The antiprotons are then slowed down and come
in contact with antielectrons (positrons) that are released from
sodium-22. When exposed to each other the positrons naturally
orbit the antiprotons, the same way electrons would orbit
protons. Thus, anti-hydrogen is made (Kaku 2008).
Finding
Naturally occurring antimatter
When electrons and positrons collide, their mass converts to gamma rays
with energy of at least 1.02 million electron volts (Kaku 2008).
Scientists
can find naturally occurring antimatter by searching the universe for
gamma rays with this energy signature. They have discovered areas
containing antimatter in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Storage
of Antimatter
Storage of antimatter is a main theme in Angels and Demons since the
invention of a magnetic-suspending canister allows the antimatter to be
stolen from the lab and transported to a secret location where the bad
guys plan to detonate it. Since everything on earth is made of
matter, antimatter has to be stored in a vacuum without coming into
any contact with gas, liquid, solid, or plasma. If antimatter
does contact any form of matter, an annihilation occurs. The
fictional canister described in the book is representative of actual
antimatter storage containers. Antimatter can be ionized into a
gas of ions and then held by magnetic fields from touching the walls of
the container (Kaku 2008).
Go to CERN and the LHC
Return to Title Page
Images of collisions between matter
and antimatter
