danbrown.angels&demons-第14部分

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　〃My　father　built　a　reverse　polarity　vacuum　to　pull　the　antimatter　positrons　out　of　the　accelerator　before　they　could　decay。〃
　Kohler　scowled。　〃But　a　vacuum　would　pull　out　the　matter　also。　There　would　be　no　way　to　separate　the　particles。〃
　〃He　applied　a　magnetic　field。　Matter　arced　right；　and　antimatter　arced　left。　They　are　polar　opposites。〃
　At　that　instant；　Kohler's　wall　of　doubt　seemed　to　crack。　He　looked　up　at　Vittoria　in　clear　astonishment　and　then　without　warning　was　overe　by　a　fit　of　coughing。　〃Incred　。　。　。　ible　。　。　。〃　he　said；　wiping　his　mouth；　〃and　yet　。　。　。〃　It　seemed　his　logic　was　still　resisting。　〃Yet　even　if　the　vacuum　worked；　these　canisters　are　made　of　matter。　Antimatter　cannot　be　stored　inside　canisters　made　out　of　matter。　The　antimatter　would　instantly　react　with…〃
　〃The　specimen　is　not　touching　the　canister；〃　Vittoria　said；　apparently　expecting　the　question。　〃The　antimatter　is　suspended。　The　canisters　are　called　'antimatter　traps'　because　they　literally　trap　the　antimatter　in　the　center　of　the　canister；　suspending　it　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　sides　and　bottom。〃
　〃Suspended？　But　。　。　。　how？〃
　〃Between　two　intersecting　magnetic　fields。　Here；　have　a　look。〃
　Vittoria　walked　across　the　room　and　retrieved　a　large　electronic　apparatus。　The　contraption　reminded　Langdon　of　some　sort　of　cartoon　ray　gun…a　wide　cannonlike　barrel　with　a　sighting　scope　on　top　and　a　tangle　of　electronics　dangling　below。　Vittoria　aligned　the　scope　with　one　of　the　canisters；　peered　into　the　eyepiece；　and　calibrated　some　knobs。　Then　she　stepped　away；　offering　Kohler　a　look。　
　Kohler　looked　nonplussed。　〃You　collected　visible　amounts？〃
　〃Five　thousand　nanograms；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃A　liquid　plasma　containing　millions　of　positrons。〃
　〃Millions？　But　a　few　particles　is　all　anyone　has　ever　detected　。　。　。　anywhere。〃
　〃Xenon；〃　Vittoria　said　flatly。　〃He　accelerated　the　particle　beam　through　a　jet　of　xenon；　stripping　away　the　electrons。　He　insisted　on　keeping　the　exact　procedure　a　secret；　but　it　involved　simultaneously　injecting　raw　electrons　into　the　accelerator。〃
　Langdon　felt　lost；　wondering　if　their　conversation　was　still　in　English。
　Kohler　paused；　the　lines　in　his　brow　deepening。　Suddenly　he　drew　a　short　breath。　He　slumped　like　he'd　been　hit　with　a　bullet。　〃Technically　that　would　leave　。　。　。〃
　Vittoria　nodded。　〃Yes。　Lots　of　it。〃
　Kohler　returned　his　gaze　to　the　canister　before　him。　With　a　look　of　uncertainty；　he　hoisted　himself　in　his　chair　and　placed　his　eye　to　the　viewer；　peering　inside。　He　stared　a　long　time　without　saying　anything。　When　he　finally　sat　down；　his　forehead　was　covered　with　sweat。　The　lines　on　his　face　had　disappeared。　His　voice　was　a　whisper。　〃My　God　。　。　。　you　really　did　it。〃　
　Vittoria　nodded。　〃My　father　did　it。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　don't　know　what　to　say。〃
　Vittoria　turned　to　Langdon。　〃Would　you　like　a　look？〃　She　motioned　to　the　viewing　device。
　Uncertain　what　to　expect；　Langdon　moved　forward。　From　two　feet　away；　the　canister　appeared　empty。　Whatever　was　inside　was　infinitesimal。　Langdon　placed　his　eye　to　the　viewer。　It　took　a　moment　for　the　image　before　him　to　e　into　focus。
　Then　he　saw　it。
　The　object　was　not　on　the　bottom　of　the　container　as　he　expected；　but　rather　it　was　floating　in　the　center…suspended　in　midair…a　shimmering　globule　of　mercurylike　liquid。　Hovering　as　if　by　magic；　the　liquid　tumbled　in　space。　Metallic　wavelets　rippled　across　the　droplet's　surface。　The　suspended　fluid　reminded　Langdon　of　a　video　he　had　once　seen　of　a　water　droplet　in　zero　G。　Although　he　knew　the　globule　was　microscopic；　he　could　see　every　changing　gorge　and　undulation　as　the　ball　of　plasma　rolled　slowly　in　suspension。
　〃It's　。　。　。　floating；〃　he　said。
　〃It　had　better　be；〃　Vittoria　replied。　〃Antimatter　is　highly　unstable。　Energetically　speaking；　antimatter　is　the　mirror　image　of　matter；　so　the　two　instantly　cancel　each　other　out　if　they　e　in　contact。　Keeping　antimatter　isolated　from　matter　is　a　challenge；　of　course；　because　everything　on　earth　is　made　of　matter。　The　samples　have　to　be　stored　without　ever　touching　anything　at　all…even　air。〃
　Langdon　was　amazed。　Talk　about　working　in　a　vacuum。　
　〃These　antimatter　traps？〃　Kohler　interrupted；　looking　amazed　as　he　ran　a　pallid　finger　around　one's　base。　〃They　are　your　father's　design？〃
　〃Actually；〃　she　said；　〃they　are　mine。〃
　Kohler　looked　up。
　Vittoria's　voice　was　unassuming。　〃My　father　produced　the　first　particles　of　antimatter　but　was　stymied　by　how　to　store　them。　I　suggested　these。　Airtight　nanoposite　shells　with　opposing　electromagnets　at　each　end。〃
　〃It　seems　your　father's　genius　has　rubbed　off。〃
　〃Not　really。　I　borrowed　the　idea　from　nature。　Portuguese　man…o'…wars　trap　fish　between　their　tentacles　using　nematocystic　charges。　Same　principle　here。　Each　canister　has　two　electromagnets；　one　at　each　end。　Their　opposing　magnetic　fields　intersect　in　the　center　of　the　canister　and　hold　the　antimatter　there；　suspended　in　midvacuum。〃
　Langdon　looked　again　at　the　canister。　Antimatter　floating　in　a　vacuum；　not　touching　anything　at　all。　Kohler　was　right。　It　was　genius。
　〃Where's　the　power　source　for　the　magnets？〃　Kohler　asked。
　Vittoria　pointed。　〃In　the　pillar　beneath　the　trap。　The　canisters　are　screwed　into　a　docking　port　that　continuously　recharges　them　so　the　magnets　never　fail。〃
　〃And　if　the　field　fails？〃
　〃The　obvious。　The　antimatter　falls　out　of　suspension；　hits　the　bottom　of　the　trap；　and　we　see　an　annihilation。〃
　Langdon's　ears　pricked　up。　〃Annihilation？〃　He　didn't　like　the　sound　of　it。
　Vittoria　looked　unconcerned。　〃Yes。　If　antimatter　and　matter　make　contact；　both　are　destroyed　instantly。　Physicists　call　the　process　'annihilation。'　〃
　Langdon　nodded。　〃Oh。〃
　〃It　is　nature's　simplest　reaction。　A　particle　of　matter　and　a　particle　of　antimatter　bine　to　release　two　new　particles…called　photons。　A　photon　is　effectively　a　tiny　puff　of　light。〃
　Langdon　had　read　about　photons…light　particles…the　purest　form　of　energy。　He　decided　to　refrain　from　asking　about　Captain　Kirk's　use　of　photon　torpedoes　against　the　Klingons。　〃So　if　the　antimatter　falls；　we　see　a　tiny　puff　of　light？〃
　Vittoria　shrugged。　〃Depends　what　you　call　tiny。　Here；　let　me　demonstrate。〃　She　reached　for　the　canister　and　started　to　unscrew　it　from　its　charging　podium。　
　Without　warning；　Kohler　let　out　a　cry　of　terror　and　lunged　forward；　knocking　her　hands　away。　〃Vittoria！　Are　you　insane！〃
　
　22

　Kohler；　incredibly；　was　standing　for　a　moment；　teetering　on　two　withered　legs。　His　face　was　white　with　fear。　〃Vittoria！　You　can't　remove　that　trap！〃　
　Langdon　watched；　bewildered　by　the　director's　sudden　panic。
　〃Five　hundred　nanograms！〃　Kohler　said。　〃If　you　break　the　magnetic　field…〃
　〃Director；〃　Vittoria　assured；　〃it's　perfectly　safe。　Every　trap　has　a　failsafe…a　back…up　battery　in　case　it　is　removed　from　its　recharger。　The　specimen　remains　suspended　even　if　I　remove　the　canister。〃
　Kohler　looked　uncertain。　Then；　hesitantly；　he　settled　back　into　his　chair。
　〃The　batteries　activate　automatically；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃when　the　trap　is　moved　from　the　recharger。　They　work　for　twenty…four　hours。　Like　a　reserve　tank　of　gas。〃　She　turned　to　Langdon；　as　if　sensing　his　disfort。　〃Antimatter　has　some　astonishing　characteristics；　Mr。　Langdon；　which　make　it　quite　dangerous。　A　ten　milligram　sample…the　volume　of　a　grain　of　sand…is　hypothesized　to　hold　as　much　energy　as　about　two　hundred　metric　tons　of　conventional　rocket　fuel。〃
　Langdon's　head　was　spinning　again。
　〃It　is　the　energy　source　of　tomorrow。　A　thousand　times　more　powerful　than　nuclear　energy。　One　hundred　percent　efficient。　No　byproducts。　No　radiation。　No　pollution。　A　few　grams　could　power　a　major　city　for　a　week。〃
　Grams？　Langdon　stepped　uneasily　back　from　the　podium。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃These　samples　are　minuscule　fractions　of　a　gram…millionths。　Relatively　harmless。〃　She　reached　for　the　canister　again　and　twisted　it　from　its　docking　platform。　
　Kohler　twitched　but　did　not　interfere。　As　the　trap　came　free；　there　was　a　sharp　beep；　and　a　small　LED　display　activated　near　the　base　of　the　trap。　The　red　digits　blinked；　counting　down　from　twenty…four　hours。　
　24：00：00　。　。　。　
　23：59：59　。　。　。　
　23：59：58　。　。　。　
　Langdon　studied　the　descending　counter　and　decided　it　looked　unsettlingly　like　a　time　bomb。
　〃The　battery；〃　Vittoria　explained；　〃will　run　for　the　full　twenty…four　hours　before　dying。　It　can　be　recharged　by　placing　the　trap　back　on　the　podium。　It's　designed　as　a　safety　measure；　but　it's　also　convenient　for　transport。〃　
　〃Transport？〃　Kohler　looked　thunderstruck。　〃You　take　this　stuff　out　of　the　lab？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃But　the　mobility　allows　us　to　study　it。〃
　Vittoria　led　Langdon　and　Kohler　to　the　far　end　of　the　room。　She　pulled　a　curtain　aside　to　reveal　a　window；　beyond　which　was　a　large　room。　The　walls；　floors；　and　ceiling　were　entirely　plated　in　steel。　The　room　reminded　Langdon　of　the　holding　tank　of　an　oil　freighter　he　had　once　taken　to　Papua　New　Guinea　to　study　Hanta　body　graffiti。　
　〃It's　an　annihilation　tank；〃　Vittoria　declared。
　Kohler　looked　up。　〃You　actually　observe　annihilations？〃
　〃My　father　was　fascinated　with　the　physics　of　the　Big　Bang…large　amounts　of　energy　from