Particle physics: Matter and antimatter scrutinized

A search for differences in the charge-to-mass ratio of protons and antiprotons, conducted at unprecedented levels of precision, results in stringent limits to the validity of fundamental physical symmetries

Trapped radioactive isotopes for fundamental symmetry investigations:The TRIμP Facility

Discrete symmetries tested in high precision atomic physics experiments provide guidance to model building beyond the Standard Model (SM). Here experimental opportunities arise for searches for permanent electric dipole moments (EDMs) and measurements of atomic parity violation (APV). Heavy atoms are favorable for such experiments since symmetry violating effects in atoms increase faster than the third power of the nuclear charge Z. Of special interest are isotopes of the heavy alkaline earth element radium (Z=88) since they offer large enhancement factors for EDMs and provide a new experimental road towards high precision measurements of atomic parity violation. These opportunities are exploited at the TRIμP facility at KVI, Groningen

Characterization of a continuous muon source for the Muon-Induced X-ray Emission (MIXE) Technique

The toolbox for material characterization has never been richer than today. Great progress with all kinds of particles and interaction methods provide access to nearly all properties of an object under study. However, a tomographic analysis of the subsurface region remains still a challenge today. In this regard, the Muon-Induced X-ray Emission (MIXE) technique has seen rebirth fueled by the availability of high intensity muon beams. We report here a study conducted at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). It demonstrates that the absence of any beam time-structure leads to low pile-up events and a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with less than one hour acquisition time per sample or data point. This performance creates the perspective to open this technique to a wider audience for the routine investigation of non-destructive and depth-sensitive elemental compositions, for example in rare and precious samples. Using a hetero-structured sample of known elements and thicknesses, we successfully detected the characteristic muonic X-rays, emitted during the capture of a negative muon by an atom, and the gamma-rays resulting from the nuclear capture of the muon, characterizing the capabilities of MIXE at PSI. This sample emphasizes the quality of a continuous beam, and the exceptional SNR at high rates. Such sensitivity will enable totally new statistically intense aspects in the field of MIXE, e.g. elemental 3D-tomography and chemical analysis. Therefore, we are currently advancing our proof-of-concept experiments with the goal of creating a full fledged permanently operated user station to make MIXE available to the wider scientific community as well as industry

Was unterscheidet Materie von Antimaterie?

V or 13,8 Milliarden Jahren sind Materie und Antimaterie in einem Urknall gleichzeitig entstanden. So stellen wir uns gegenwärtig den Anfang der Welt vor. Kurz danach haben sich Teilchen und Antiteilchen bei unvermeidbaren Kollisionen gegenseitig vernichtet. Von diesen Annihilatio- nen blieben am Ende nur Photonen und Neu trinos übrig, wovon heute noch die kosmische Hintergrundstrahlung zeugt. Sie enthält eine Milliarde mal mehr Photonen und Neutrinos als Teilchen in der uns bekannten Materie. Es scheint, dass nur ein kleines bisschen Materie, aus der auch wir selbst bestehen, übrig blieb. Wie kommt es, dass wir heute keine ursprüngliche Antimaterie mehr finden

Fundamental interactions - Some actual developments at low energies

Trapped and stored charged particles, atoms and molecules offer a number of opportunities to measure exact values of important fundamental constants such as lepton magnetic anomalies, the fine structure constant and the electron mass. New Physics can be searched for by comparing precise measurements and highly accurate calculations of particle properties. Some recent experiments differ by a few standard deviations from standard theory predictions, such as the muon magnetic anomaly and Na-21 beta-decay; for a clarification further work is needed

Meeting Summary of 'Antiproton physics in the ELENA Era'

Conference Summar