Satellite Finds Evidence of Antimatter Belt Around Earth
Data from the cosmic ray satellite PAMELA has added substantial weight to the theory that the Earth is encircled by a thin band of antimatter.
The satellite, named Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics, was launched in 2006 to study the nature of cosmic rays — high-energy particles from the Sun and beyond the solar system which barrel into Earth.When those cosmic rays smash into molecules in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, a shower of smaller particles is created. Physicists have assumed that a small number of those resulting particles will be anti-protons.
Most of those will be instantly annihilated when they collide with particles of ordinary matter. But those which don’t collide should get trapped in the Earth’s torus-shaped Van Allen radiation belt, and form a layer of antimatter in the Earth’s atmosphere.
(via itsfullofstars)
Depicted above is a 21-kiloton underwater nuclear weapon test, showing a Wilson cloud. When a nuclear weapon is detonated in humid air, the “negative phase” of the shock wave causes a rarefaction (reduction in density) of the air surrounding the explosion, but not contained within it. This rarification results in a temporary cooling of that air, which causes a condension of some of the water vapor contained in it.
