The antimatter ring surrounds the earth

The team of scientists at Rome Tor Vergata University, Italy, discovered that the antiparticles (antimatter) appear around the earth. Recently, scientists have discovered that the antiprotons (antimatter) appear to surround the earth and are trapped by the earth's magnetic field.

Antiparticles surround the earth (Photo: Newscientist)

The team of scientists at Rome Tor Vergata University in Italy discovered antiprotons using PAMELA , a cosmic ray detector attached to a Russian Earth observation satellite.

Electrically charged particles called cosmic rays have continuously spit out new particles, including antiparticles, when they collide with particles while in the atmosphere. Many of them are trapped inside the Earth's magnetic belt, forming a shape like two donuts circling the earth.

Between July 2006 and December 2008, PAMELA detected 28 antiprotons trapped in spiral orbit around the Earth's southern magnetic field lines. Now a large proton particle reaction has been discovered nearly 2000 times.

This antiparticle loop appears a few minutes and then disappears. Theoretically they could be used to provide rocket fuel for extremely efficient future, Alessandro Bruno said.