A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 project to investigate potential signs of antimatter (particles with opposite charge to ordinary matter) in space has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the .
This research by Professor Philip von Doetinchem is contributing to unraveling one of the greatest mysteries in modern physics—the nature of dark matter—which makes up about 85% of the universe’s mass and affects cosmic structure, yet remains invisible and poorly understood.
“By carefully scrutinizing our antimatter search data that we collected in space, we’re not just pushing the boundaries of science; we’re also heading toward a new era in particle astrophysics,” Doetinchem said.
Doetinchem will lead a three-year project analyzing data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) aboard the International Space Station. The AMS-02 has potentially found rare antiparticles called antideuterons and antihelium in space. These findings could be evidence of dark matter or point to new physics beyond our current understanding. However, they might also be explained by known cosmic processes. Resolving the nature of the origin is the prime motivation for the project.
Doetinchem’s Cosmic Ray Antiparticle team, composed of postdoctoral researcher Anirvan Shukla and graduate students Bobby Lyon and Ammar Bayyari, will use advanced analysis techniques, including machine learning, to analyze more data from the upgraded AMS-02. They’ll also incorporate results from new measurements on the ground with the SPS Heavy Ion and Neutrino Experiment (NA61/SHINE) at CERN, a leading physics research center in Europe, to interpret the results from space.
Currently, scientists lack a comprehensive explanation for why they’re potentially seeing these antimatter particles in space or why they appear in the proportions observed. This research aims to solve this cosmic riddle and potentially reshape our understanding of the universe’s fundamental makeup.
Empowering students through cosmic science
Beyond its scientific goals, the project includes an educational outreach component. In collaboration with Lena Stone’s team from , Doetinchem’s team continues providing . Additionally, the researchers collaborate with Sandra von Doetinchem and others on developing strategies to s.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补 .