Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
Published on: January 9, 2014
Centrifugal separation and equilibration dynamics in an electron-antiproton plasma
G B Andresen1, M D Ashkezari, M Baquero-Ruiz
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Abstract:
Charges in cold, multiple-species, non-neutral plasmas separate radially by mass, forming centrifugally separated states. Here, we report the first detailed measurements of such states in an electron-antiproton plasma, and the first observations of the separation dynamics in any centrifugally separated system. While the observed equilibrium states are expected and in agreement with theory, the equilibration time is approximately constant over a wide range of parameters, a surprising and as yet unexplained result. Electron-antiproton plasmas play a crucial role in antihydrogen trapping experiments.
Related Concept Videos
Centrifugation
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Principle
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...
Mass Analyzers: Common Types
Dynamic Equilibrium
Equilibrium Conditions for a Particle
To understand the concept of equilibrium, let us first consider the forces acting on an object. When different forces act on an object, they can...
