Antimatter Propulsion?

[zyfoxmaster]

Where is Antimatter pproduced?<br /><br />I know it is used in places such as FERMILAB<br /><br />but where it produced, and how?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>I'm 16.  I haven't lived long enough to have an epic singature.</p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Where is Antimatter pproduced?I know it is used in places such as FERMILABbut where it produced, and how? <br />Posted by zyfoxmaster</DIV></p><p>Generally in high energy atom smashers. It is created by crashing particle together with enough enrgy so that antimatter is one of the byproducts of the colission. BTW, welocme to Space.com!</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[derekmcd]

<p><strong><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Where is Antimatter pproduced?I know it is used in places such as FERMILABbut where it produced, and how?</strong></p><p><strong>Posted by zyfoxmaster</DIV></strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Anywhere high energy particle collisions occur.&nbsp; Cosmic rays from the Sun impacting matter in the Earth's atmosphere is the closest example.&nbsp;</p><p>The "how" is out of my league to explain properly.&nbsp; </p><p>You need to create enough energy in a collision between an electron and an atom to get the electrons to radiate high energy photons that can change into a electron/positron pair. </p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[eburacum45]

<p>This is an interesting overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter#Production </p><p>A bit more detail here&nbsp; http://www.engr.psu.edu/antimatter/Papers/NASA_anti.pdf</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>---------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>http://orionsarm.com  http://thestarlark.blogspot.com/</p> </div>

 

[zyfoxmaster]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This is an interesting overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter#Production A bit more detail here&nbsp; http://www.engr.psu.edu/antimatter/Papers/NASA_anti.pdf <br /> Posted by eburacum45</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>okay.&nbsp; Thanks again. <br /><br />And thanks for the&nbsp; welcome as well.<br /><br /> </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>I'm 16.  I haven't lived long enough to have an epic singature.</p> </div>

 

[richalex]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><em>Where is Antimatter pproduced?I know it is used in places such as FERMILABbut where it produced, and how? <br />Posted by zyfoxmaster</em></DIV><br /><br />Human-generated antimatter comes from particle accelerators. However, nature also generates antimatter, and uses more than one method to do it. Of course, particle collisions happen in nature as they do in particle accelerators, and those produce antimatter, but some forms of radioactive decay also release antimatter. One particular isotope (I think it is an isotope of aluminum, but I would have to check to be certain) releases a positron. As it happens, this accounts for a considerable amount of antimatter seen near the galactic core. Lots of dust containing this isotope is spread across thousands of light years of space. As it decays, it emits positrons. We can see the annihilation of these positrons, as it emits high energy photons (511,000 electron-Volts). </p><p>Earth's magnetosphere, like the magnetosphere of other celestrial objects, collects naturally-produced antimatter. There have been proposals made to harvest this antimatter. </p>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Human-generated antimatter comes from particle accelerators. However, nature also generates antimatter, and uses more than one method to do it. Of course, particle collisions happen in nature as they do in particle accelerators, and those produce antimatter, but some forms of radioactive decay also release antimatter. One particular isotope (I think it is an isotope of aluminum, but I would have to check to be certain) releases a positron. As it happens, this accounts for a considerable amount of antimatter seen near the galactic core. Lots of dust containing this isotope is spread across thousands of light years of space. As it decays, it emits positrons. We can see the annihilation of these positrons, as it emits high energy photons (511 electron-Volts). Earth's magnetosphere, like the magnetosphere of other celestrial objects, collects naturally-produced antimatter. There have been proposals made to harvest this antimatter. <br />Posted by richalex</DIV></p><p>I think it's 511 kilo electron volts. (kev<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I think it's 511 kilo electron volts. (kev </p><p><em> Posted by meteorwayne</em></DIV></p><p>Yes, 511 KeV.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[bearack]

<font color="#ff0000"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Yes, 511 KeV.&nbsp; <br />Posted by yevaud</DIV></font><br /><br /><font size="2">Pardon my scientific illiteracy, but isn't KeV a measurement in temp?</font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Pardon my scientific illiteracy, but isn't KeV a measurement in temp? <br /> Posted by bearack</DIV></p><p>No, it stands for "Thousands of Electron Volts." </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Pardon my scientific illiteracy, but isn't KeV a measurement in temp? <br />Posted by bearack</DIV></p><p>No it's kilo ev.</p><p>Perhaps you are thinking of Kelvin (K)?</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[bearack]

<p><font color="#ff0000"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>No it's kilo ev.Perhaps you are thinking of Kelvin (K)? <br />Posted by meteorwayne</DIV></font><br /><br /><font size="2">Ah yes, Kelvin is correct.&nbsp; As I said, I'm the fella in the corner housing the dunce hat when it comes to scientific analysis.&nbsp; I just try and act smart, at times.</font></p><p><font size="2">Thanks&nbsp;to both of you correcting me.</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[richalex]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><em>I think it's 511 kilo electron volts. (kev <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</em></DIV><br /><br />Right, keV. I knew I was forgetting something!

 

[Saiph]

<p>I could, of course, muddy the waters by mentioning the tendancy of physicists to tack energy units to temperature scales in thermodynamics (where temperature is, or rather can be, defined by kinetic energy).</p><p>So in the right context, you wouldn't be wrong in saying KeV is a temperature reading </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>