[News-releases] Scientists capture atoms of antimatter

[Jennifer Kaban]

*Scientists succeed in trek to capture atoms of antimatter*

News Release
Embargo lifted at November 17, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. PST


(Vancouver, BC) -- Boldly going where the universe has not gone before, 
scientists at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland have 
succeeded in capturing anti-matter atoms. In a paper published today in 
Nature, physicists of the ALPHA Collaboration, including key Canadian 
contributors, describe how they succeeded in containing for the first 
time atoms of antihydrogen, the antimatter partner of ordinary hydrogen. 
This breakthrough will allow future detailed measurements of 
antihydrogen, giving scientists a powerful new tool to help solve the 
age-old question: "Why is there something, rather than nothing, in the 
universe?"

Antimatter, or the lack of it, remains one of the biggest mysteries of 
science. At the Big Bang, matter and antimatter should have been 
produced in equal amounts, but since they annihilate upon contact, 
shortly thereafter nothing should have remained but pure energy (light). 
However, to date all observations suggest that all the antimatter has 
vanished. To try to understand what happened to "the lost half of the 
universe", scientists are eager to determine whether there is a 
difference in the properties of matter versus antimatter that might 
offer an explanation. The approach taken by the ALPHA collaboration will 
be to compare a well-known system in physics, the hydrogen atom, 
consisting of one proton and one electron, with its antimatter 
counterpart, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and an antielectron.

Antihydrogen atoms were first made at CERN eight years ago, but couldn't 
be stored, since the anti-atoms touched the ordinary-matter walls of the 
experiments within millionths of a second after forming and were 
instantly annihilated. The ALPHA collaboration succeeded by developing a 
sophisticated "magnetic bottle" using a state-of-the-art superconducting 
magnet to suspend the antiatoms away from the walls. The experiment 
showed definitive proof of antihydrogen atom capture for about a tenth 
of a second. Very few were captured (nowhere near enough to power a 
starship engine!), but their longevity was more than enough to allow 
study. This result is the crucial step before commencing detailed 
studies of antihydrogen. These antihydrogen atoms very well may be the 
first contained antiatoms in the history of the universe.
A well-known aphorism proclaims that to understand the hydrogen atom is 
to understand all physics. Makoto Fujiwara, spokesperson for the 
ALPHA-Canada group, points out, "That is only half right - we still have 
to understand antihydrogen." CERN Director General Rolf Heuer said, 
"These are significant steps in antimatter research and an important 
part of the very broad research programme at CERN." CERN is the only 
laboratory in the world with a dedicated low-energy antiproton facility 
to enable this type of research.

ALPHA-Canada scientists have been playing leading roles in the 
antihydrogen detection and data analysis aspects of the experiment, and 
also the development towards forthcoming antiatomic structure studies. 
Richard Hydomako, a Ph.D. student of Prof. Rob Thompson at the 
University of Calgary and a scholar visiting Prof. Scott Menary at York 
University, played a crucial role in the data analysis of the reported 
result. He said "It's been a rare privilege and learning experience 
taking part in this groundbreaking international endeavor." Important 
infrastructure support came from TRIUMF in Vancouver, BC, which enabled 
Canadian scientists to participate in an international project at the 
level beyond what is normally possible by a single university group. 
TRIUMF Director Nigel Lockyer was enthusiastic, "This is an historic 
achievement and a real testament to the imagination, ingenuity, and 
inspiration of the scientists and students from TRIUMF, Canada, and 
around the world."

The ALPHA Collaboration is already exploiting the fruits of their 
labour. Fujiwara notes that "As we speak, we are trying to measure, for 
the first time, what colour antimatter atoms shine," referring to 
initial attempts to apply microwave spectroscopy on the trapped 
antihydrogen, an effort led by Prof. Michael Hayden of Simon Fraser 
University, and Prof. Walter Hardy of the University of British 
Columbia. This effort is the next step in determining the detailed 
atomic structure of antihydrogen, which could give new clues on why 
there is so much something, rather than a lot of nothing, in the universe.

Financial support for ALPHA-Canada and its members comes from NSERC 
(National Science and Engineering Research Council), NRC and TRIUMF, AIF 
(Alberta Ingenuity Fund), the Killam Trust, and FQRNT (Le Fonds 
québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies).


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*For More Information*
ALPHA Collaboration website:   http://alpha.web.cern.ch/alpha
CERN antimatter information:    http://angelsanddemons.cern.ch/

*About TRIUMF*
TRIUMF is Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear 
physics.  Located on the south campus of the University of British 
Columbia, TRIUMF is owned and operated as a joint venture by a 
consortium of the following Canadian universities, via a contribution 
through the National Research Council Canada: University of Alberta, 
University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, Carleton 
University, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, McMaster 
University, Université de Montréal, Queen's University, University of 
Regina, Saint Mary's University, Simon Fraser University, University of 
Toronto, University of Victoria, York University.

*About ALPHA-Canada*
ALPHA is a collaboration of 42 physicists from 15 institutions from 
Canada, Brazil, Denmark, Israel, Japan, Sweden, UK, and the USA. 
ALPHA-Canada currently consists of 8 senior scientists, 5 graduate 
students, and several professional staff from 5 Canadian institutions.  
15 out of 42 ALPHA co-authors in the reported work are with 
ALPHA-Canada: Andrea Gutierrez, Sarah Seif El Nasr, Walter Hardy (Univ. 
of British Columbia), Tim Friesen, Richard Hydomako, Robert Thompson 
(Univ. of Calgary), Mohammad Ashkezari, Michael Hayden (Simon Fraser 
Univ.), Scott Menary (York Univ.), Makoto Fujiwara, David Gill, Leonid 
Kurchaninov, Konstantin Olchanski, Art Olin, James Storey (TRIUMF). 
Spokesperson Makoto Fujiwara is also an adjunct professor in Calgary.


*TRIUMF Contacts

*Dr. Marcello Pavan
Outreach & Communications
TRIUMF
Tel: 604 222 7525
Cell: 604 868 7466
E-mail: outreach at triumf.ca

Dr. Makoto Fujiwara
Research Scientist
TRIUMF / U. Calgary
Tel: +41-76-487-3828
E-mail: makoto.fujiwara at triumf.ca

en français:
Andrea Gutierrez
Graduate Student
UBC
Tel: +41-76-487-3832
E-mail: Andrea.Gutierrez at triumf.ca





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Jennifer Kaban

Web Publishing Coordinator


TRIUMF

Vancouver BC


604.222.7692

jkaban at triumf.ca


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