Articles tagged with Dark Matter
Astronomers have discovered that the Milky Way's stars are moving in unexpected ways, suggesting a recent encounter with a small galaxy or dark matter structure. The team found a north-south asymmetry in the distribution of stars, which may be caused by a vertical wave formed by the object's passage.
Researchers use Lonestar supercomputer to create nearly 100,000 models of one galaxy, representing the range of possible ways stars can move. They find that dark matter is more spread out at the edge of the galaxy than previously thought, with a fluffier distribution but the same total amount.
Researchers suggest mirror particles could be responsible for the missing mass of the universe due to an anomaly in neutron behavior. The loss rate of slow neutrons appears to depend on magnetic field strength, which could indicate a parallel world with invisible mirror twins.
A new study using Chandra data reveals two galaxies with supermassive black holes growing at a rate outpacing their host galaxies. The findings suggest that dark matter halos and black holes are linked in the growth of these galaxies, contradicting previous assumptions.
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector is a trap set for dark-matter WIMPs, with a titanium bottle holding 350 kilograms of liquid xenon. The new LUX ZEPLIN project aims to increase sensitivity by orders of magnitude.
The Musket Ball Cluster is a newly discovered galaxy cluster where so-called normal matter has been wrenched apart from dark matter through a violent collision. The system, observed 700 million years after the collision, provides valuable insight into the evolution of galaxy clusters and their member galaxies.
Scientists analyzed two years of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to detect gamma-ray signals from hypothetical particles. No signals were detected, ruling out WIMP candidates within a specific range of masses and interaction rates as dark matter.
Astronomers have detected a cosmic effect that could provide insight into the forces behind the universe's formation, including dark energy and dark matter. The kSZ effect was seen in the movement of distant galaxy clusters, with velocities measured up to 600 kilometers per second.
Researchers used Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes to map dark matter in galaxy cluster Abell 383. The study found a stretched-out, football-like shape of dark matter, with the point aligned close to the line of sight. The results challenge standard models and suggest further research is needed to resolve the discrepancy.
Astronomers have obtained a unique close-up look at the brightest gravitationally magnified galaxy yet discovered using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The image revealed regions of star formation glowing like bright points of light, which are much brighter than any star-formation region in our own galaxy.
Astronomers have observed a clump of dark matter in the Abell 520 galaxy cluster, which contradicts current theories about its behavior. The team used the Hubble Space Telescope to map dark matter, revealing a core rich in dark matter but containing no luminous galaxies.
A University of Oklahoma graduate student has been awarded a national physics award for his groundbreaking research on dark matter. His thesis explores the mixture of two particles, axion and lightest supersymmetric (LSP) theory, providing a more intricate picture of dark matter.
The Kavli Institute aims to crack the puzzles of cosmological theory, including dark energy's repulsive gravity, dark matter's composition, and cosmic inflation's rapid expansion. New simulations and detectors will help scientists uncover new physics beyond current theories.
A team of scientists has detected a faint 'satellite galaxy' 10 billion light years away, making it the lowest-mass object at such a distance. This finding could help confirm or reject theories about the structure of the cosmos.
A team of astronomers has discovered the largest galaxy cluster ever seen in the distant Universe, nicknamed El Gordo. The cluster consists of two separate subclusters colliding at high speeds and is so far away that its light has travelled for seven billion years to reach Earth.
Researchers studied a galaxy cluster 5 billion light years away, finding that it has passed through each other without collision. The study revealed that most of the dark matter had also passed through, but gas clouds collided, creating a huge cloud of superheated gas.
Scientists at Fermilab and Berkeley Lab have created the largest direct measurements of dark matter yet, using new methods that will improve ground-based surveys. The maps show a clearer picture of the universe's past, which is crucial for understanding dark energy.
Researchers have created the largest-scale map of dark matter, showcasing a intricate cosmic web that covers over one billion light years. By analyzing images of 10 million galaxies, they were able to detect the distortion caused by dark matter and gain insight into its distribution.
Researchers mapped dark matter using images of 10 million galaxies in four regions, studying distortion of light as it passes massive clumps of dark matter. The study reveals a vast network of dense and empty regions, providing the first direct glimpse at dark matter on large scales.
Astronomers detect first low-mass star in globular cluster M22 using gravitational microlensing, suggesting alternative explanation for cluster mass. The star has less than a fifth of the sun's mass and is 3.2 kiloparsecs from it.
Researchers confirm detection of antimatter positron excess with assistance from Earth's magnetic field, casting doubt on dark matter explanation. The Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope's unique approach utilizes the Earth's magnetic field to separate charged particles, providing valuable insight into the universe.
Researchers from Brown University report that dark matter must have a mass greater than 40 GeV to explain the universe's accelerated expansion. This limits potential weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) candidates, which were previously suggested by other experiments.
Astronomers use Hubble's unprecedented precision to map dark matter in 25 massive galaxy clusters, challenging previous assumptions about its distribution. The survey's findings suggest that galaxy cluster assembly may have begun earlier than previously thought.
The Bolshoi supercomputer simulation, based on WMAP5 parameters, provides a powerful new tool for studying galaxy formation, dark matter, and dark energy. Initial studies show good agreement between the simulation's predictions and astronomers' observations.
Researchers at Princeton University and NYU have developed a method to detect the collision of stars with primordial black holes, which are believed to be a source of dark matter. The new technique uses existing solar observation methods to identify subtle vibrations in a star's surface caused by a passing black hole.
A supercomputer simulation by University of Pittsburgh researcher Christopher W. Purcell suggests that the Milky Way's spiral arms were triggered by a collision with the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy. The impact stripped off 80-90% of the dark matter halo, producing instabilities that eventually formed the spiral arms and ring structures.
Researchers at UC Irvine discovered that the Milky Way's spiral arms are a result of an intergalactic collision course with a dwarf galaxy named Sagittarius. The force of the impact sent stars streaming from both galaxies into long loops, which were then swelled and tugged outward by the Milky Way's rotation.
Researchers at University of California, Santa Cruz and Institute for Theoretical Physics in Zurich simulate formation of massive spiral galaxy like Milky Way, resolving key features with high-resolution simulation. The result supports prevailing cold dark matter theory, which predicts galaxies form within dark matter halos.
Researchers leverage supercomputers to investigate dark energy, a mysterious force driving the universe's expansion. They develop new models that allow for more accurate analysis of subtle dark matter clustering features, such as Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), crucial for constraining cosmological parameters.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the complex history of Pandora's Cluster, a giant galaxy cluster resulting from the simultaneous collision of four smaller clusters. The data reveal that dark matter dominates the cluster's mass, with gas making up only 5% of its total mass.
Researchers use gravitational lensing to map dark matter distribution in the cluster, while NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory observes hot gas. The study reveals a complex collision that separated out hot gas and dark matter, separating them from visible galaxies.
The CoGeNT experiment has detected a seasonal signal variation in its data, consistent with the predictions of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). The team is cautious, as the signal could be due to random fluctuations or experimental errors.
The Gang of Four, including Davis, Efstathiou, Frenk and White, receives the prize for their pioneering use of numerical simulations to model the Universe's large-scale distribution. Their work, which began with a survey of 2400 galaxies in 1981, showed that observations were consistent with a simulated Universe based on cold dark matter.
The Giant Magellan Telescope will be built with seven 8.4-meter primary mirrors and is expected to begin science operations in northern Chile in 2019, allowing astronomers to study dark matter and dark energy. The telescope's resolving power will be larger than any other ever built, enabling groundbreaking discoveries about the universe.
The XENON collaboration has announced results from a 100-day experiment, revealing no evidence of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), leading candidates for dark matter. The high sensitivity achieved by the XENON100 detector may allow future detection in the near future.
Astronomer Heidi Newberg is using a new $382,000 NSF grant to map the distribution of dark matter in our galaxy. She will utilize the massive computing power of the international MilkyWay@Home project to simulate how stars in stellar streams got to their current positions.
Recent analysis by University of Maryland astronomer Stacy McGaugh confirms MOND's prediction for gas-rich galaxies, performing better than dark matter models. This finding raises new questions about the accuracy of the reigning cosmological model and the nature of gravity on small scales.
Astronomers find that galaxies in this 'sweet spot' mass range can form stars at high rates and grow rapidly. This discovery challenges current models of galaxy formation, suggesting a reduced need for dark matter to trigger starbursts. The research uses infrared images from Herschel's SPIRE instrument.
The Large Hadron Collider's CMS detector has conducted the first full run of experiments, producing energies similar to those present in the Universe's first instants. Researchers are optimistic about confirming or ruling out Supersymmetry as a solution for dark matter, which makes up approximately 25% of the universe's mass.
Researchers develop method to locate satellite galaxies based on hydrogen gas distribution, predicting Galaxy X's mass and location. The technique has broad implications for dark matter detection and alternative gravity theories.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has completed its deployment, enclosing a cubic kilometer of clear ice to detect rare neutrino collisions. The telescope will observe just a few hundred neutrinos per day, but with unprecedented energy and statistics.
Researchers found that low mass dark matter particles can interact with the Sun's atoms, transferring energy from the core to the external parts. This interaction cools down the Sun's core and reduces the flux of solar neutrinos.
Researchers suggest that detecting neutrinos and gravity waves can independently confirm the presence of dark matter in the sun. Current detectors, such as Borexino and SNO, will be able to measure the sun's core temperature with precision.
Scientists are deploying a 4-kilogram bubble chamber at SNOLab, Ontario, Canada to detect dark matter particles. The team hopes to establish evidence for dark matter using Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPS) and axions.
Researchers discover that most of the genomic output from dark matter transcripts is associated with existing genes. Only a small percentage of these transcripts remain unexplained and appear to be background noise.
A recent study by UCI astrophysicists refines predictions for the detection of dark matter, suggesting that current models cannot account for excess high-energy positrons. The research leaves room for future experiments to potentially detect dark-matter evidence in the near future.
Theoretical results suggest that small blocks of matter on a desktop could reveal elusive properties of dark matter particles. Researchers propose using topological insulators to detect the axion, a theoretical particle thought to make up a quarter of the universe.
A team of researchers has analyzed over 70,000 galaxies to test two modified gravity theories that aim to explain dark matter's effects on the universe. The study found that one theory, TeVeS, can be excluded due to large uncertainty in measurements, while another theory, f(R), still allows for exclusion of dark energy with current data.
A galaxy study confirms the validity of general relativity on a cosmic scale, with the existence of dark matter as the most likely explanation for observed phenomena. The study rules out alternative theories of gravity, including tensor-vector-scalar gravity and f(R), which fail to predict the observed galaxy clustering and distortion.
Astronomers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope found that less than a third of gamma-ray emission arises from black-hole-powered jets. The study suggests that alternative explanations, such as particle acceleration in normal star-forming galaxies and dark matter, may be responsible for the extragalactic gamma-ray background.
Researchers will present their findings on the latest dark matter detection experiments and detectors, shedding light on one of science's last great frontiers. The UCLA symposium aims to advance our understanding of dark matter, a mysterious substance thought to make up almost 25% of the universe.
Researchers from Queen's University are making progress in detecting dark matter using the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment. The team, led by Professor Wolfgang Rau, has observed two events with characteristics of an interaction involving a dark matter particle, but further analysis is needed to confirm the results.
A new study extends gravitational lensing to smaller, older structures, improving understanding of dark matter distribution. Researchers use x-ray emissions to pinpoint galaxy cluster centers and measure total masses.
A team of researchers has resolved a long-standing conflict in the theory of galaxy formation, using millions of hours of supercomputer simulations. The study reveals that cosmic explosions, such as supernovas, play a key role in preventing the formation of stars and dark matter at the centers of dwarf galaxies.
A team led by Case Western Reserve University physicist Tom Shutt is planning the world's largest WIMP catcher, a 20-ton liquid xenon detector that could increase detection chances by 30,000 times. The experiment aims to confirm the dark matter theory and understand the universe's composition.
A team of researchers has developed a scintillating bolometer, a device that detects light and heat produced by dark matter particles. The device was tested at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory in Spain and performed excellently, proving its viability as a detector for dark matter.
Researchers found that galaxy collisions 'puff up' a galactic disk, producing stellar rings and flared edges. The Milky Way's puffy appearance is likely due to interactions with satellite galaxies and dark matter.
Scientists from the University of Gothenburg found that a mysterious flux of electrons and positrons originates from supernova remnants, not dark matter. The study shows that a star 15 times more massive than the sun exploded in the Milky Way, creating a shock-wave that accelerated particles.
The NRL's Large Area Telescope has made significant discoveries about cosmic rays and high-energy particles. The telescope detected an excess of electrons striking its surface, leading scientists to suggest that a nearby pulsar could be the source sending these particles towards Earth.
The study found that intense heat from early stars and black holes evaporated gas from small clumps of dark matter, rendering them barren. This natural explanation for galaxy formation supports the view that cold dark matter is the best candidate for the mysterious material believed to make up most of the universe.