On the binding energies of antihydrogen formed by the interactions of antiprotons in cold positron plasmas

Abstract

The binding energies of antihydrogen atoms formed when antiprotons are mixed with positron plasmas having densities ranging from 1013–1015 m−3, and at temperatures of 5–30 K, have been investigated using simulations. Major changes in the distribution of binding energies are observed, with more strongly bound states evident at the higher densities, and at lower temperatures. For deeper binding, the distribution of binding energies follows a power-law which is found to be strongly dependent upon plasma properties and the strength of the applied magnetic field. The underpinning role of collisions in determining the binding energies is explored.

Matter-antimatter rearrangements using the R-matrix method

“…We propose to overcome a major bottleneck in understanding matter-antimatter collisions by developing the capability to calculate in full dimension and fully quantum mechanically, the scattering cross sections for molecular matter-antimatter rearrangements. Theory and simulation of antimatter formation and trapping are crucial in designing and interpreting experiments [9] but the necessary accurate scattering cross sections are lacking. We will make use of recent R-matrix developments [8] in the EPSRC High-End Computing (HEC) Consortium UK-AMOR [10], combined with recent variational approaches to solving matter-antimatter collision problems [5][6][7]11].…”