In the 1970s, astronomer Vera Rubin analyzed observations of galaxy rotations and found that they were spinning faster than expected based on visible matter, leading to the discovery of dark matter. This invisible substance, which makes up over 80% of a galaxy’s mass, does not interact with light or electromagnetic forces.
Now known as ΛCDM, dark matter plays a crucial role in galaxy formation by attracting matter faster than normal matter did in the early universe. It forms halos around galaxies, with normal matter collecting in the center to create galactic disks while dark matter remains on the outskirts.
Researchers have conducted simulations to understand how dark matter halos affect the size of galaxies. By varying properties like density and rotation rate, they discovered that more massive halos result in larger galaxies while certain changes can cause galaxies to shrink or form differently.
Using advanced modeling software like Gizmo and fire 3, researchers ran simulations to study how the properties of dark matter halos impact galaxies over billions of years. Their findings highlighted the direct relationship between dark matter halos and galactic structures.
These results provide valuable insights into the interplay between dark matter and galactic disks, shedding light on the intricate processes that shape our universe. Follow-up experiments are planned to further explore the complexities of galactic interactions and dark matter dynamics.
Source: sciworthy.com
