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April 16, 2015
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) collaboration will present today the latest results in its quest to understand the origin of cosmic rays and dark matter. These intriguing results will be shared and discussed during the “AMS days” starting today at CERN with many of the world’s leading theoretical physicists and principal investigators of some of the major experiments exploring the field of cosmic-ray physics. The main objective of this scientific exchange is to understand the interrelation between AMS results and those of other major cosmic-ray experiments and current theories.
“I am very pleased that so many of the world's leading scientists are interested in AMS results and are coming to CERN for this meeting,” said AMS spokesperson Samuel Ting.
Image above: The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer looks for dark matter, antimatter and missing matter from a module on the International Space Station (Image: NASA).
In particular, AMS is presenting unexpected new results on the antiproton/proton ratio in the cosmic rays, and on the proton and helium fluxes. Pre-existing models of ordinary cosmic rays cannot explain the AMS results. These new observations may provide important information on the understanding of cosmic-ray production and propagation. It is possible that the results may be explained by new astrophysical sources or new acceleration and propagation mechanisms, and the latest AMS results are also consistent with dark matter collisions.
Note:
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research. Its business is fundamental physics, finding out what the Universe is made of and how it works. At CERN, the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments are used to study the basic constituents of matter — the fundamental particles. By studying what happens when these particles collide, physicists learn about the laws of Nature.
The instruments used at CERN are particle accelerators and detectors. Accelerators boost beams of particles to high energies before they are made to collide with each other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and record the results of these collisions.
Founded in 1954, the CERN Laboratory sits astride the Franco–Swiss border near Geneva. It was one of Europe’s first joint ventures and now has 22 Member States.
Related link:
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS): http://home.web.cern.ch/about/experiments/ams
Read more:
"Physics community to discuss latest results of the AMS experiment" – CERN press release: http://press.web.cern.ch/press-releases/2015/04/physics-community-discuss-latest-results-ams-experiment
Don't miss:
- "Human Space Exploration" by NASA's William H. Gerstenmaier, as part of the AMS days at CERN. Webcast at 6:15pm today (15 April 2015): http://webcast.web.cern.ch/webcast/play.php?event=381134
- "The Odyssey of Voyager" by Prof. Edward C. Stone, as part of the AMS days at CERN. Webcast at 6:30pm tomorrow (16 April 2015): http://webcast.web.cern.ch/webcast/play.php?event=381134
For more information about the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), visit: http://home.web.cern.ch/
Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: CERN/Cian O'Luanaigh.
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