MolaKule
Staff member
"A new study suggests that mysterious “dark dwarfs” could provide crucial insights into the true nature of dark matter.
Celestial objects known as dark dwarfs might be concealed near the center of our galaxy, and scientists believe they could help unlock the secrets of one of the biggest mysteries in modern cosmology: dark matter.
In a newly published study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, a team of researchers from the UK and Hawaii introduces the concept of dark dwarfs and outlines how we might detect them using instruments that are already available, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
The international research team chose the name “dark dwarfs” not because these objects are inherently dark, but because of their close relationship with dark matter—a topic that remains central to astrophysics and cosmology today.
“We think that 25% of the universe is composed of a type of matter that doesn’t emit light, making it invisible to our eyes and telescopes. We only detect it through its gravitational effects. That’s why we call it dark matter,” explains Jeremy Sakstein, Professor of Physics at the University of Hawai‘i and one of the study’s authors.
Among the most well-known dark matter candidates are the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs)—very massive particles that interact very weakly with ordinary matter: they pass through things unnoticed, don’t emit light and don’t respond to electromagnetic forces (so they don’t reflect light and remain invisible), and reveal themselves only through their gravitational effects. This type of dark matter would be necessary for dark dwarfs to exist. “Dark matter interacts gravitationally, so it could be captured by stars and accumulate inside them. If that happens, it might also interact with itself and annihilate, releasing energy that heats the star,” Sakstein explains..."
https://scitechdaily.com/these-strange-stars-could-reveal-the-true-nature-of-dark-matter/
Celestial objects known as dark dwarfs might be concealed near the center of our galaxy, and scientists believe they could help unlock the secrets of one of the biggest mysteries in modern cosmology: dark matter.
In a newly published study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, a team of researchers from the UK and Hawaii introduces the concept of dark dwarfs and outlines how we might detect them using instruments that are already available, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
The international research team chose the name “dark dwarfs” not because these objects are inherently dark, but because of their close relationship with dark matter—a topic that remains central to astrophysics and cosmology today.
“We think that 25% of the universe is composed of a type of matter that doesn’t emit light, making it invisible to our eyes and telescopes. We only detect it through its gravitational effects. That’s why we call it dark matter,” explains Jeremy Sakstein, Professor of Physics at the University of Hawai‘i and one of the study’s authors.
Understanding the Unknown
While scientists have confirmed the presence of dark matter and observed how it behaves, its true nature remains unknown. Over the past five decades, many theories have been suggested, but none have been supported by enough experimental data to be confirmed. Research efforts like this one aim to offer practical ways to move closer to a solution.Among the most well-known dark matter candidates are the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs)—very massive particles that interact very weakly with ordinary matter: they pass through things unnoticed, don’t emit light and don’t respond to electromagnetic forces (so they don’t reflect light and remain invisible), and reveal themselves only through their gravitational effects. This type of dark matter would be necessary for dark dwarfs to exist. “Dark matter interacts gravitationally, so it could be captured by stars and accumulate inside them. If that happens, it might also interact with itself and annihilate, releasing energy that heats the star,” Sakstein explains..."
https://scitechdaily.com/these-strange-stars-could-reveal-the-true-nature-of-dark-matter/
