dark matter

[Reilly]

are we going up the wrong track in our search for dark matter

 

[Helio]

I doubt it because there are many tracks to choose from. The straightest track, however, seems to have become too steep to be plausible, but other tracks exist and new ones will likely be found. Or is this wimpy track the one you question?

DM does a great job of explaining how cluster motions behave and how galaxies rotate. It also seems to behave differently than normal matter as found in data from the Bullet Cluster.

 

[voidpotentialenergy]

I think the dark matter thinking is about as far from the reason as possible.
Same for dark energy.
IMO both are temporary particle/energy creation from Quantum Fluctuation.
Both exist and both don't but the sum of the temp existence is dark energy and matter.

Just an E balance act of Quantum Fluctuation.

 

[sam85geo]

As I understand, Dark Matter and Dark Energy are euphemisms for "I really don't know". From the work of Fritz Zwicky and later by Vera Rubin what ever Dark Matter is, it responds to the force of gravity, but is not detectible as "ordinary" matter. Dark Energy describes "things/space" being pushed apart/away from one another. Research priority for these conditions/forces/things seems a challenge in modern physics which could re-write our place and future in the Universe. Based upon the curiosity raised in these articles, I've added Dark Matter and Dark Energy to my list to read about. Thanks.

 

[Helio]

As I understand, Dark Matter and Dark Energy are euphemisms for "I really don't know". From the work of Fritz Zwicky and later by Vera Rubin what ever Dark Matter is, it responds to the force of gravity, but is not detectible as "ordinary" matter.

Correct. It is invisible to all of our means of observation, so far. We see only indirectly the obvious effects caused by DM. This is similar to a Black hole, which by definition is invisible to any direct observation.

Dark Energy describes "things/space" being pushed apart/away from one another.

Right. DE is a bigger mystery as it is an ad hoc label for whatever it is that is accelerating the universe.

 

[rod]

On the forums, there are a number of discussions on DM, DE. Here is a recent report on DM observations in a dwarf galaxy. 'Astronomers detect extended dark matter halo around ancient dwarf galaxy', https://phys.org/news/2021-02-astronomers-dark-halo-ancient-dwarf.html

There is the paper too, 'An extended halo around an ancient dwarf galaxy', https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-01285-w, "Abstract The Milky Way is surrounded by dozens of ultrafaint (<10^5 L☉) dwarf satellite galaxies1,2,3. They are the remnants of the earliest galaxies4, as confirmed by their ancient5 and chemically primitive6,7 stars..."

My observation. The stars in the dwarf galaxy are interpreted using BB cosmology, primordial gas clouds and Population III stars. These primordial gas clouds and Population III stars are not observed in the universe. The simulation uses long age calculations where Tucana II must have DM in order for the dwarf galaxy to hold onto the stars. No DM halo, these stars may not be gravitationally bound to the dwarf galaxy.