An antimatter spectrometer in space

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Abstract

We discuss a simple magnetic spectrometer to be installed on a satellite or space station. The purpose of this spectrometer is to search for primordial antimatter to the level of antimatter/matter ≈10−9, improving the existing limits obtained with balloon flights by a factor of 104 to 105. The design of the spectrometer is based on an iron-free, NdFeB permanent magnet, scintillation counters, drift tubes, and silicon or time projection chambers. Different design options are discussed. Typically, the spectrometer has a weight of about 2 tons and an acceptance of about 1.0 m2 sr. The availability of the new NdFeB material makes it possible for the first time to put a magnet into space economically and reliably.

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