Observation of the effect of gravity on the motion of antimatter.

Einstein's general theory of relativity from 19151 remains the most successful description of gravitation. From the 1919 solar eclipse2 to the observation of gravitational waves3, the theory has passed many crucial experimental tests. However, the evolving concepts of dark matter and dark energy illustrate that there is much to be learned about the gravitating content of the universe. Singularities in the general theory of relativity and the lack of a quantum theory of gravity suggest that our picture is incomplete. It is thus prudent to explore gravity in exotic physical systems. Antimatter was unknown to Einstein in 1915. Dirac's theory4 appeared in 1928; the positron was observed5 in 1932. There has since been much speculation about gravity and antimatter. The theoretical consensus is that any laboratory mass must be attracted6 by the Earth, although some authors have considered the cosmological consequences if antimatter should be repelled by matter7-10. In the general theory of relativity, the weak equivalence principle (WEP) requires that all masses react identically to gravity, independent of their internal structure. Here we show that antihydrogen atoms, released from magnetic confinement in the ALPHA-g apparatus, behave in a way consistent with gravitational attraction to the Earth. Repulsive 'antigravity' is ruled out in this case. This experiment paves the way for precision studies of the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration between anti-atoms and the Earth to test the WEP.

Human Echolocators Have Better Localization Off Axis.

Here, we report novel empirical results from a psychophysical experiment in which we tested the echolocation abilities of nine blind adult human experts in click-based echolocation. We found that they had better acuity in localizing a target and used lower intensity emissions (i.e., mouth clicks) when a target was placed 45° off to the side compared with when it was placed at 0° (straight ahead). We provide a possible explanation of the behavioral result in terms of binaural-intensity signals, which appear to change more rapidly around 45°. The finding that echolocators have better echo-localization off axis is surprising, because for human source localization (i.e., regular spatial hearing), it is well known that performance is best when targets are straight ahead (0°) and decreases as targets move farther to the side. This may suggest that human echolocation and source hearing rely on different acoustic cues and that human spatial hearing has more facets than previously thought.

Sympathetic cooling of positrons to cryogenic temperatures for antihydrogen production.

The positron, the antiparticle of the electron, predicted by Dirac in 1931 and discovered by Anderson in 1933, plays a key role in many scientific and everyday endeavours. Notably, the positron is a constituent of antihydrogen, the only long-lived neutral antimatter bound state that can currently be synthesized at low energy, presenting a prominent system for testing fundamental symmetries with high precision. Here, we report on the use of laser cooled Be+ ions to sympathetically cool a large and dense plasma of positrons to directly measured temperatures below 7 K in a Penning trap for antihydrogen synthesis. This will likely herald a significant increase in the amount of antihydrogen available for experimentation, thus facilitating further improvements in studies of fundamental symmetries.

Laser cooling of antihydrogen atoms.

The photon-the quantum excitation of the electromagnetic field-is massless but carries momentum. A photon can therefore exert a force on an object upon collision1. Slowing the translational motion of atoms and ions by application of such a force2,3, known as laser cooling, was first demonstrated 40 years ago4,5. It revolutionized atomic physics over the following decades6-8, and it is now a workhorse in many fields, including studies on quantum degenerate gases, quantum information, atomic clocks and tests of fundamental physics. However, this technique has not yet been applied to antimatter. Here we demonstrate laser cooling of antihydrogen9, the antimatter atom consisting of an antiproton and a positron. By exciting the 1S-2P transition in antihydrogen with pulsed, narrow-linewidth, Lyman-α laser radiation10,11, we Doppler-cool a sample of magnetically trapped antihydrogen. Although we apply laser cooling in only one dimension, the trap couples the longitudinal and transverse motions of the anti-atoms, leading to cooling in all three dimensions. We observe a reduction in the median transverse energy by more than an order of magnitude-with a substantial fraction of the anti-atoms attaining submicroelectronvolt transverse kinetic energies. We also report the observation of the laser-driven 1S-2S transition in samples of laser-cooled antihydrogen atoms. The observed spectral line is approximately four times narrower than that obtained without laser cooling. The demonstration of laser cooling and its immediate application has far-reaching implications for antimatter studies. A more localized, denser and colder sample of antihydrogen will drastically improve spectroscopic11-13 and gravitational14 studies of antihydrogen in ongoing experiments. Furthermore, the demonstrated ability to manipulate the motion of antimatter atoms by laser light will potentially provide ground-breaking opportunities for future experiments, such as anti-atomic fountains, anti-atom interferometry and the creation of antimatter molecules.

Human Click-Based Echolocation of Distance: Superfine Acuity and Dynamic Clicking Behaviour.

Some people who are blind have trained themselves in echolocation using mouth clicks. Here, we provide the first report of psychophysical and clicking data during echolocation of distance from a group of 8 blind people with experience in mouth click-based echolocation (daily use for > 3 years). We found that experienced echolocators can detect changes in distance of 3 cm at a reference distance of 50 cm, and a change of 7 cm at a reference distance of 150 cm, regardless of object size (i.e. 28.5 cm vs. 80 cm diameter disk). Participants made mouth clicks that were more intense and they made more clicks for weaker reflectors (i.e. same object at farther distance, or smaller object at same distance), but number and intensity of clicks were adjusted independently from one another. The acuity we found is better than previous estimates based on samples of sighted participants without experience in echolocation or individual experienced participants (i.e. single blind echolocators tested) and highlights adaptation of the perceptual system in blind human echolocators. Further, the dynamic adaptive clicking behaviour we observed suggests that number and intensity of emissions serve separate functions to increase SNR. The data may serve as an inspiration for low-cost (i.e. non-array based) artificial 'cognitive' sonar and radar systems, i.e. signal design, adaptive pulse repetition rate and intensity. It will also be useful for instruction and guidance for new users of echolocation.

Observation of the 1S-2P Lyman-α transition in antihydrogen.

In 1906, Theodore Lyman discovered his eponymous series of transitions in the extreme-ultraviolet region of the atomic hydrogen spectrum1,2. The patterns in the hydrogen spectrum helped to establish the emerging theory of quantum mechanics, which we now know governs the world at the atomic scale. Since then, studies involving the Lyman-α line-the 1S-2P transition at a wavelength of 121.6 nanometres-have played an important part in physics and astronomy, as one of the most fundamental atomic transitions in the Universe. For example, this transition has long been used by astronomers studying the intergalactic medium and testing cosmological models via the so-called 'Lyman-α forest'3 of absorption lines at different redshifts. Here we report the observation of the Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. Using narrow-line-width, nanosecond-pulsed laser radiation, the 1S-2P transition was excited in magnetically trapped antihydrogen. The transition frequency at a field of 1.033 tesla was determined to be 2,466,051.7 ± 0.12 gigahertz (1σ uncertainty) and agrees with the prediction for hydrogen to a precision of 5 × 10-8. Comparisons of the properties of antihydrogen with those of its well-studied matter equivalent allow precision tests of fundamental symmetries between matter and antimatter. Alongside the ground-state hyperfine4,5 and 1S-2S transitions6,7 recently observed in antihydrogen, the Lyman-α transition will permit laser cooling of antihydrogen8,9, thus providing a cold and dense sample of anti-atoms for precision spectroscopy and gravity measurements10. In addition to the observation of this fundamental transition, this work represents both a decisive technological step towards laser cooling of antihydrogen, and the extension of antimatter spectroscopy to quantum states possessing orbital angular momentum.

Characterization of the 1S-2S transition in antihydrogen.

In 1928, Dirac published an equation 1 that combined quantum mechanics and special relativity. Negative-energy solutions to this equation, rather than being unphysical as initially thought, represented a class of hitherto unobserved and unimagined particles-antimatter. The existence of particles of antimatter was confirmed with the discovery of the positron 2 (or anti-electron) by Anderson in 1932, but it is still unknown why matter, rather than antimatter, survived after the Big Bang. As a result, experimental studies of antimatter3-7, including tests of fundamental symmetries such as charge-parity and charge-parity-time, and searches for evidence of primordial antimatter, such as antihelium nuclei, have high priority in contemporary physics research. The fundamental role of the hydrogen atom in the evolution of the Universe and in the historical development of our understanding of quantum physics makes its antimatter counterpart-the antihydrogen atom-of particular interest. Current standard-model physics requires that hydrogen and antihydrogen have the same energy levels and spectral lines. The laser-driven 1S-2S transition was recently observed 8 in antihydrogen. Here we characterize one of the hyperfine components of this transition using magnetically trapped atoms of antihydrogen and compare it to model calculations for hydrogen in our apparatus. We find that the shape of the spectral line agrees very well with that expected for hydrogen and that the resonance frequency agrees with that in hydrogen to about 5 kilohertz out of 2.5 × 1015 hertz. This is consistent with charge-parity-time invariance at a relative precision of 2 × 10-12-two orders of magnitude more precise than the previous determination 8 -corresponding to an absolute energy sensitivity of 2 × 10-20 GeV.

Enhanced Control and Reproducibility of Non-Neutral Plasmas.

The simultaneous control of the density and particle number of non-neutral plasmas confined in Penning-Malmberg traps is demonstrated. Control is achieved by setting the plasma's density by applying a rotating electric field while simultaneously fixing its axial potential via evaporative cooling. This novel method is particularly useful for stabilizing positron plasmas, as the procedures used to collect positrons from radioactive sources typically yield plasmas with variable densities and particle numbers; it also simplifies optimization studies that require plasma parameter scans. The reproducibility achieved by applying this technique to the positron and electron plasmas used by the ALPHA antihydrogen experiment at CERN, combined with other developments, contributed to a 10-fold increase in the antiatom trapping rate.

Evaluation of air quality at the Birmingham New Street Railway Station.

Air pollution from diesel emissions is becoming an increased international concern, and whilst attention has been primarily focused on the automotive industry, concerns have also been raised about emissions from diesel rail vehicles. This paper reports an extensive series of measurements made at the Birmingham New Street station, a major rail interchange in the Midlands of England, with a mix of diesel and electric train movements, which is of particular concern because of the enclosed nature of the platforms. This study was undertaken in collaboration with Network Rail to better understand the environment in and around the station over a longer period to provide a more detailed analysis of the complex environment at the station. The station environment has been considered in terms of the European Union (EU) and Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) limits as part of the monitoring methodology, but it should be noted that these limits do not apply in this environment as the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 are applicable. The monitoring campaign consisted of diffusion tube measurements to measure nitrogen dioxide at a large number of different locations throughout and around the station. These were followed by detailed measurements of oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, carbon dioxide and black carbon (a diesel tracer) at a smaller number of sites at the platform level. The results are analysed to give concentrations over a wide variety of time scales, and long- and short-term averages. The effects of ambient wind conditions and individual train movements are also considered. Recommendations are made for possible remedial measures and for future work to more fully understand the physical mechanisms involved.

Erratum: Observation of the hyperfine spectrum of antihydrogen.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature23446.

Antihydrogen accumulation for fundamental symmetry tests.

Antihydrogen, a positron bound to an antiproton, is the simplest anti-atom. Its structure and properties are expected to mirror those of the hydrogen atom. Prospects for precision comparisons of the two, as tests of fundamental symmetries, are driving a vibrant programme of research. In this regard, a limiting factor in most experiments is the availability of large numbers of cold ground state antihydrogen atoms. Here, we describe how an improved synthesis process results in a maximum rate of 10.5 ± 0.6 atoms trapped and detected per cycle, corresponding to more than an order of magnitude improvement over previous work. Additionally, we demonstrate how detailed control of electron, positron and antiproton plasmas enables repeated formation and trapping of antihydrogen atoms, with the simultaneous retention of atoms produced in previous cycles. We report a record of 54 detected annihilation events from a single release of the trapped anti-atoms accumulated from five consecutive cycles.Antihydrogen studies are important in testing the fundamental principles of physics but producing antihydrogen in large amounts is challenging. Here the authors demonstrate an efficient and high-precision method for trapping and stacking antihydrogen by using controlled plasma.

Observation of the hyperfine spectrum of antihydrogen.

The observation of hyperfine structure in atomic hydrogen by Rabi and co-workers and the measurement of the zero-field ground-state splitting at the level of seven parts in 1013 are important achievements of mid-twentieth-century physics. The work that led to these achievements also provided the first evidence for the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron, inspired Schwinger's relativistic theory of quantum electrodynamics and gave rise to the hydrogen maser, which is a critical component of modern navigation, geo-positioning and very-long-baseline interferometry systems. Research at the Antiproton Decelerator at CERN by the ALPHA collaboration extends these enquiries into the antimatter sector. Recently, tools have been developed that enable studies of the hyperfine structure of antihydrogen-the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. The goal of such studies is to search for any differences that might exist between this archetypal pair of atoms, and thereby to test the fundamental principles on which quantum field theory is constructed. Magnetic trapping of antihydrogen atoms provides a means of studying them by combining electromagnetic interaction with detection techniques that are unique to antimatter. Here we report the results of a microwave spectroscopy experiment in which we probe the response of antihydrogen over a controlled range of frequencies. The data reveal clear and distinct signatures of two allowed transitions, from which we obtain a direct, magnetic-field-independent measurement of the hyperfine splitting. From a set of trials involving 194 detected atoms, we determine a splitting of 1,420.4 ± 0.5 megahertz, consistent with expectations for atomic hydrogen at the level of four parts in 104. This observation of the detailed behaviour of a quantum transition in an atom of antihydrogen exemplifies tests of fundamental symmetries such as charge-parity-time in antimatter, and the techniques developed here will enable more-precise such tests.

Observation of the 1S-2S transition in trapped antihydrogen.

The spectrum of the hydrogen atom has played a central part in fundamental physics over the past 200 years. Historical examples of its importance include the wavelength measurements of absorption lines in the solar spectrum by Fraunhofer, the identification of transition lines by Balmer, Lyman and others, the empirical description of allowed wavelengths by Rydberg, the quantum model of Bohr, the capability of quantum electrodynamics to precisely predict transition frequencies, and modern measurements of the 1S-2S transition by Hänsch to a precision of a few parts in 1015. Recent technological advances have allowed us to focus on antihydrogen-the antimatter equivalent of hydrogen. The Standard Model predicts that there should have been equal amounts of matter and antimatter in the primordial Universe after the Big Bang, but today's Universe is observed to consist almost entirely of ordinary matter. This motivates the study of antimatter, to see if there is a small asymmetry in the laws of physics that govern the two types of matter. In particular, the CPT (charge conjugation, parity reversal and time reversal) theorem, a cornerstone of the Standard Model, requires that hydrogen and antihydrogen have the same spectrum. Here we report the observation of the 1S-2S transition in magnetically trapped atoms of antihydrogen. We determine that the frequency of the transition, which is driven by two photons from a laser at 243 nanometres, is consistent with that expected for hydrogen in the same environment. This laser excitation of a quantum state of an atom of antimatter represents the most precise measurement performed on an anti-atom. Our result is consistent with CPT invariance at a relative precision of about 2 × 10-10.

A generalised model of crop lodging.

The lodging of cereal crops due to high wind and rain is of considerable significance in many parts of the world, leading to major economic losses and yield reductions. In earlier papers the authors have developed a model of the lodging of winter wheat that identified the major parameters of the problem and enabled the relationship between root and stem lodging to be examined. It has formed the basis of a methodology used in the UK for guidance to farmers and agronomists on ways of reducing lodging risk. However the authors would be the first to acknowledge that there are limitations to the model that make it difficult to apply for a wide range of crops--particularly in the specification of the wind field and the root/soil interaction, and in allowing for stem lodging elsewhere than at the base of the stem. This paper thus describes the development of a generalised model that overcomes these shortcomings. After a discussion of the lodging phenomenon in general and a description of the earlier work, the basis of the new model is set out, based upon a mechanical model of the wind/plant/soil interactions that capture most of the important physical processes. The manner in which this model can be applied to clarify the nature of the lodging process and calculate lodging risk through a simple graphical formulation is discussed. In particular simple formulae are defined for lodging risk that are functions of a small number of dimensionless variables with identified physical meanings. The model is then applied to the lodging of wheat, oat and oilseed rape crops and considers the sensitivity of the risk calculations to uncertainties in the model parameters. In general it is suggested that the risk of lodging can be determined from very simple functions of dimensionless stem and root lodging velocities.

Electron plasma orbits from competing diocotron drifts.

The perpendicular dynamics of a pure electron plasma column are investigated when the plasma spans two Penning-Malmberg traps with noncoinciding axes. The plasma executes noncircular orbits described by competing image-charge electric-field (diocotron) drifts from the two traps. A simple model is presented that predicts a set of nested orbits in agreement with observed plasma trajectories.

Distinguishing true coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infections from contaminants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize true coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) infections in infants receiving neonatal intensive care. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants with clinical sepsis and CoNS isolated from ≥ 2 blood cultures (BCs) or one BC and a sterile site (proved infection) or CoNS isolated from one BC and deemed significant after blinded data review (probable infection). RESULT: In all, 98% of 40 proved and 96% of 55 probable infections occurred in infants with birth weight (BW) <2000 g and gestation <34 weeks. Total central lines (CLs) placed, but not CL duration or presence in situ, predicted proved (odds ratio (OR) 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4 to 8.3; P=0.005) and probable infection (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.6; P=0.007) by multivariate analysis as did lethargy and gastric residuals. CONCLUSION: True CoNS infection is unlikely in infants with BW >2000 g and gestation >34 weeks. Total CL required for care, lethargy and gastric residuals predicted true CoNS infection.

Compression of positron clouds in the independent particle regime.

The application of an asymmetric dipolar electric field rotating at a frequency close to that of the axial bounce of a collection of trapped positrons has, in the presence of a low pressure molecular gas to provide cooling, been used to achieve compression of the cloud. A theory of this effect has been developed for a Penning trap potential, with the cooling modeled in the Stokes viscous drag approximation. Good agreement between the theory and measurements of the frequency dependence of the cloud compression rate has been found, establishing that the phenomenon is a new form of sideband cooling.

Executive summary of the workshop on infection in the high-risk infant.

For newborn infants in intensive care units, the morbidity and mortality from infection continues to be a major burden despite advances in neonatal care. Infants are at risk for early-onset, late-onset as well as hospital-acquired infections. Research studies are needed to optimize timely diagnosis and treatment, and develop patient-specific and system-wide strategies to prevent perinatal and neonatal infections. To address the knowledge gaps that preclude optimal, evidence-based care in this critical field, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) organized a workshop in August 2008. In this paper, we provide a summary of the discussions, focusing on major knowledge gaps, and prioritized suggestions for research in this area.

Natural Occurrence of Phytophthora infestans Causing Late Blight on Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) in New York.

Woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) is a common hedgerow herbaceous perennial in the United States, one of only three native Solanum spp. S. dulcamara is a known host of Phytophthora infestans (3), but infection is rarely reported. There is a U.S. record from Maryland (2); in 1947, Peterson (4) stated that this species had never been found blighted in its natural habitat, although in 1960 it was listed as a host of P. infestans in New York (1). The A2 mating type has not been reported on this host. On 2 July, 2009, leaf lesions similar to those of P. infestans on potato were found on wild S. dulcamara at Riverhead, NY. The plant was growing in a home garden within 10 m of potato and tomato plants infected with P. infestans. When two infected leaves of S. dulcamara were incubated for 24 h under high humidity, a pathogen growth developed around the lesion margins that was characterized by hyaline mycelium bearing lemon-shaped sporangia that released motile zoospores after chilling in water, which is consistent with P. infestans. The caducous and limoniform to ovoid sporangia were 39 to 50 µm (average 45 µm) × 26 to 28 µm (average 27 µm) with a length/breadth ratio of 1.66. No oospores were observed. Three isolates were obtained from this plant during July 2009. Growth on rye agar was indistinguishable from that of local tomato isolates of P. infestans. Detached leaflets of S. dulcamara and S. tuberosum, inoculated with the woody nightshade isolates and kept in a humid chamber, became infected and developed profuse sporulation within 5 days. The pathogen isolated was confirmed as P. infestans by morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics. Inoculations of attached leaves of potted S. dulcamara plants resulted in necrotic lesions with many sporangia; sporulation also developed on inoculated, attached, and detached tomato leaves. P. infestans was reisolated and identity confirmed as before. The three isolates were A2 mating type, metalaxyl-resistant, mitochondrial haplotype Ia. All were glucose-6-phosphate isomerase 100/122 and peptidase 100/100, as confirmed with single-spore isolates. RG57 fingerprint analysis confirmed that isolates from woody nightshade, tomato, and potato obtained from the same and nearby sites were identical. Although P. infestans in the United States belongs to the new population, which may infect a wider host range than the old US-1 clonal lineage, S. dulcamara infections have only been found when late blight is already widespread in neighboring fields and there is no evidence to suggest that woody nightshade acts as an overwintering host in the United States. References: (1) Anonymous. Index of Plant Diseases in the United States. Page 456 in: Agric. Handb. No. 165, 1960 (2) C. Cox. Phytopathology 38:575, 1948. (3) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Page 190 in: Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1996. (4) L. C. Peterson. Am. Potato J. 24:188, 1947.

Gene duplication event in family 12 glycosyl hydrolase from Phytophthora spp.

A total of 18 paralogs of xyloglucan-specific endoglucanases (EGLs) from the glycosyl hydrolase family 12 were identified and characterized in Phytophthora sojae and Phytophthora ramorum. These genes encode predicted extracellular enzymes, with sizes ranging from 189 to 435 amino acid residues, that would be capable of hydrolyzing the xyloglucan component of the host cell wall. In two cases, four and six functional copies of these genes were found in tight succession within a region of 5 and 18 kb, respectively. The overall gene copy number and relative organization appeared well conserved between P. sojae and P. ramorum, with apparent synteny in this region of their respective genomes. Phylogenetic analyses of Phytophthora endoglucanases of family 12 and other known members of EGL 12, revealed a close relatedness with a fairly conserved gene sub-family containing, among others, sequences from the fungi Emericella desertorum and Aspergillus aculeatus. This is the first report of family 12 EGLs present in plant pathogenic eukaryotes.