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Title:
Ion storage tests with the high performance antiproton trap (HiPAT)
Authors:
Martin, James; Lewis, Raymond; Chakrabarti, Suman; Pearson, Boise
Affiliation:
AA(NASA MSFC, TD40, Huntsville, Alabama 35812), AB(R. Lewis Company (MSFC, TD40), Huntsville, Alabama 35812), AC(NASA MSFC, TD40, Huntsville, Alabama 35812), AD(NASA MSFC, TD40, Huntsville, Alabama 35812)
Publication:
SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM- STAIF 2002. Conference on Thermophyiscs in Microgravity; Conference on Innovative Transportation Systems for Exploration of the Solar System and Beyond; 19th Symposium on Space Nuclear Power and Propulstion; Conference on Commercial/Civil Next Generation Transportation. Held in Albuquerque, NM, 3-6 February, 2002. Edited by Mohamed S. El-Genk. Melville, NY: American Institute of Physics, 2002. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 608, pp. 793-800 (2002). (AIPC Homepage)
Publication Date:
01/2002
Origin:
STI
PACS Keywords:
Antiproton-induced reactions, Spaceborne and space research instruments, apparatus, and components, Theory, design, and computerized simulation
DOI:
10.1063/1.1449804
Bibliographic Code:
2002AIPC..608..793M

Abstract

The matter antimatter reaction represents the densest form of energy storage/release known to modern physics: as such it offers one of the most compact sources of power for future deep space exploration. To take the first steps along this path, the NASA-MSFC is developing a storage system referred to as the High Performance Antiproton Trap (HiPAT) with a goal of maintaining 1012 particles for up to 18 days. Experiments have been performed with this hardware using normal matter (positive hydrogen ions) to assess the device's ability to hold charged particles. These ions are currently created using an electron gun method to ionize background gas; however, this technique is limited by the quantity that can be captured. To circumvent this issue, an ion source is currently being commissioned which will greatly increase the number of ions captured and more closely simulate actual operations expected at an antiproton production facility. Ions have been produced, stored for various time intervals, and then extracted against detectors to measure species, quantity and energy. Radio frequency stabilization has been tested as a method to prolong ion lifetime: results show an increase in the baseline 1/e lifetime of trapped particles from hours to days. Impurities in the residual background gas (typically carbon-containing species CH4, CO, CO2, etc.) present a continuing problem by reducing the trapped hydrogen population through the mechanism of ion charge exchange. .
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