On the Potential Influence of Radio Waves on the ALPHA-g Experiment

In the ALPHA-g experiment at CERN, it was found that antihydrogen atoms escaping from a magnetic Penning trap drifted primarily downward. As antihydrogen atoms are electrically neutral, the research team attributed this preference in drift direction to the gravitational force of the Earth. This explanation, in turn, led to the conclusion that matter attracts antimatter. However, it is unclear whether the ALPHA-g experiment team considered the potential for interactions between electrically neutral particles and electromagnetic fields in the radio frequency range, a phenomenon that could warrant further exploration. Unfortunately, the direction of action of these ponderomotive forces is identical for a hydrogen atom and an antihydrogen atom. This article derives the formula of the ponderomotive force from the basic equations of classical physics. Subsequently, it is shown that in unfavorable cases, even comparatively weak radio waves of suitable frequency, such as those generated by electronic devices, could lead to forces that reach or exceed the force of gravity.