  We observe asymmetric transition rates between Zeeman levels (spin-flips) of
magnetically trapped atoms. The asymmetry strongly depends on the spectral
shape of an applied noise. This effect follows from the interplay between the
internal states of the atoms and their external degrees of freedom, where
different trapped levels experience different potentials. Such insight may
prove useful for controlling atomic states by the introduction of noise, as
well as provide a better understanding of the effect of noise on the coherent
operation of quantum systems.
