Antimatter experiments present progress

01/15/2013 23:26

At CERN today, representatives of the experiments that use beams from the Antiproton Decelerator presented their progress in 2012, and their plans for the New Year.

Michael Doser started proceedings with an update from the AEGIS experiment, which aims to measure the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter. Doser described how in 2012 the AEGIS team tested their experimental setup using antiprotons and used other measurements to design an optimal layout for their experiment. "Beam times were extremely valuable in understanding this new apparatus," says Doser. "In 2013 we hope to continue testing and commissioning with electrons and positrons; to commission a laser system for spectroscopy, and to install a positronium test station." AEGIS aims to be ready to form an antihydrogen beam by summer 2014.

Michael Holzscheiter of the University of New Mexico presented the status of the Antiproton Cell Experiment (ACE), which compares the effectiveness of protons and antiprotons in the treatment of cancer.

read more: https://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2013/01/antimatter-experiments-present-progress