  We present time-resolved spectroscopic measurements of Rydberg-Rydberg
interactions in an ultracold gas, revealing the pair dynamics induced by
long-range van der Waals interactions between the atoms. By detuning the
excitation laser, a specific pair distribution is prepared. Penning ionization
on a microsecond timescale serves as a probe for the pair dynamics under the
influence of the attractive long-range forces. Comparison with a Monte Carlo
model not only explains all spectroscopic features but also gives quantitative
information about the interaction potentials. The results imply that the
interaction-induced ionization rate can be influenced by the excitation laser.
Surprisingly, interaction-induced ionization is also observed for Rydberg
states with purely repulsive interactions.
