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Physicists suggest that the capture and annihilation of dark matter could reignite dormant neutron stars

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A team of particle physicists from the University of Melbourne, Australian National University, King’s College London, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has discovered that the energy transferred when dark matter particles collide and annihilate inside a cold neutron star. They calculated that the star could be heated rapidly. Previously, this heating was thought to be irrelevant because this energy transfer takes a very long time, in some cases longer than the age of the universe itself.

An artist’s impression of a neutron star.

A number of recent studies have focused on trapping dark matter in neutron stars as sensitive probes of the interaction of dark matter with ordinary matter.

This could potentially be used to test dark matter interactions in a way that is highly complementary to experiments on Earth, especially since dark matter is accelerated to relativistic speeds during a fall into a neutron star. there is.

In some cases, neutron star technology may be able to probe interactions that are difficult or impossible to observe with direct dark matter detection experiments. These include dark matter, which is too light to leave a detectable signal in nuclear recoil experiments, and interactions where non-relativistic scattering cross sections are momentum suppressed.

It was recently pointed out that an isolated old neutron star near the Sun could be heated by the capture of dark matter, increasing its temperature by 2000 K.

Once older than 10 million years, an isolated neutron star is expected to cool to temperatures below this unless reheated by standard matter accretion or internal heating mechanisms.

As a result, observations of local neutron stars may place severe constraints on dark matter interactions. Importantly, neutron stars with temperatures in this range produce near-infrared radiation that could be detected by future telescopes.

“Our new calculations show for the first time that most of the energy is stored in just a few days,” said Professor Nicole Bell from the University of Melbourne, lead author of the study.

“The search for dark matter is one of science’s greatest detective stories.”

“Dark matter makes up 85% of the matter in the universe, but we can’t see it.”

“It doesn’t interact with light. It doesn’t absorb, reflect, or emit light.”

“This means that even if we know it exists, we can’t directly observe it with our telescopes.”

“Rather, its attraction to an object that we can see tells us that it must be there.”

“Predicting dark matter theoretically and observing it experimentally are two different things.”

“Earth-based experiments are limited by the technical challenges of building a large enough detector.”

“But neutron stars act as huge natural dark matter detectors, collecting dark matter over astronomically long timescales, so they are a good place to focus our efforts.”

“Neutron stars form when supermassive stars run out of fuel and collapse,” Professor Bell said.

“They have a similar mass to our sun and are squeezed into a sphere just 20km wide. If they got any denser, they would become black holes.”

“Dark matter is the main type of matter in the universe, but it is very difficult to detect because it interacts very weakly with normal matter.”

“In fact, dark matter is so weak that it can pass straight through the Earth and even the Sun.”

“But neutron stars are different. Because neutron stars are so dense, dark matter particles are much more likely to interact with the star.”

“If dark matter particles collide with neutrons inside a star, they lose energy and become trapped.”

“Over time, this will lead to an accumulation of dark matter within the star.”

“We expect this to cause old, cold neutron stars to heat up to a point where they can be observed in the future, or even cause the star to collapse into a black hole,” said the University of Melbourne doctor. candidate Michael Vilgat, co-author of the study.

“If the energy transfer happens quickly enough, the neutron star will heat up.”

“For this to happen, the dark matter would have to collide within the star many times, transferring more and more of the dark matter’s energy until all the energy is stored in the star.”

“Until now it was unknown how long this process takes, because as dark matter particles become less and less energetic, they become less and less likely to interact again.”

“As a result, it was thought that it would take a very long time to transfer all the energy, in some cases longer than the age of the universe.”

Instead, the researchers calculated that 99% of the energy is transferred in just a few days.

“This is good news, because it means dark matter can potentially heat neutron stars to detectable levels,” Birgat said.

“As a result, observations of cold neutron stars will provide important information about the interactions between dark matter and ordinary matter and shed light on the nature of this elusive matter.”

“If we are to understand the ubiquity of dark matter, it is important to use every technology at our disposal to understand what the hidden matter in our universe actually is.” .”

of study Published in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

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Nicole F. Bell other. 2024. Thermalization and extinction of dark matter in neutron stars. JCAP 04,006; doi: 10.1088/1475-7516/2024/04/006

Source: www.sci.news

Signs of Potentially Weakening Dark Energy

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Slice of the universe's largest 3D map showing the fundamental structure of matter

A collaboration between Leah Raman and DESI. Custom colormap package with cmastro

The largest 3D map of the universe ever created offers hints about the evolution of the universe and suggests we may be wrong about the behavior of dark energy, which makes up most of the universe. I am. This mysterious power may weaken over time.

“If it can be maintained, this is a very big deal,” he says Adam Rees Johns Hopkins University in Maryland discovered the first evidence of dark energy 25 years ago. That's because the standard model of cosmology, called the lambda CDM, suggests that the intensity of dark energy should not change over time.

Dark energy is thought to cause the accelerated expansion of the universe. If it is not static, it could also have major implications for our ideas about the universe's beginning, its size, and ultimate fate. Mr. Reese, who was not involved in the new work, said the impact was that “we… [our understanding of] “Gravity and Field”.

This strange finding comes from the Dark Energy Spectroscopy Instrument (DESI) in Arizona, where even DESI collaborators say data suggests dark energy may be weakening in recent times. I don't really know what to make of that fact. A DESI spokesperson said: “Whether this is interesting or not, this is all we have been talking about in this collaboration for months.” Kyle Dawson at the University of Utah.

DESI researchers investigated the strength of dark energy by measuring the large-scale structure and distribution of galaxies in the universe, revealing how the universe has expanded over time. The researchers then combined this information with three sets of data about supernovae. Supernovae act as so-called “standard candles” that determine the distance to cosmic objects thanks to their predictable brightness.

Surprisingly, each of the three supernova samples gave a different answer to the changing rate of expansion of the universe over time. All three suggest that the influence of dark energy may have declined in recent years, but the strength of these suggestions varies, so researchers wonder how to interpret the data. I don't really understand.

“Two of the supernova samples don't match each other, but they are very similar,” Dawson said. “We don't know which one is correct. The truth may lie somewhere in between, but the real difference seems to be in the method.” [the supernova researchers] We evaluated the data. ”

Model discrepancy is indicated by a coefficient called sigma. Sigma measures the likelihood that similar collisions will occur by chance when the models do not match each other. “About 3 sigma is the level at which we typically sit and pay attention and call it a 'sign' of something,” Reese says. Values ​​lower than that are usually not of particular interest to researchers. It would be too likely a simple coincidence.

The discrepancies between the lambda CDM and combined supernova and DESI measurements ranged from 2.5 sigma to 3.9 sigma. “Both opinions are true. There's enough tension and it's interesting. And there's not enough tension to say that something is definitely there,” says Dawson.

Dark energy makes up nearly 70 percent of the universe, so errors in our understanding of its properties can have far-reaching implications for physics. However, more precise measurements will be needed in the coming years to prove whether the error really exists.

“if [this is] “Certainly, this is the first real clue we've had about the nature of dark energy in 25 years,” says Rees.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Astrophysicist declares universe devoid of dark matter

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Professor Rajendra Gupta of the University of Ottawa is challenging current theoretical models of the composition of the universe by showing that there is actually no room for dark matter in the universe.

This artist's impression shows the evolution of the universe, starting with the Big Bang on the left and continuing with the emergence of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The formation of the first stars ends the Dark Ages of the universe, followed by the formation of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss / Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

In cosmology, the term dark matter refers to anything that does not appear to interact with light or electromagnetic fields, or that can only be explained by gravity.

Although we can't see it and don't know what it's made of, it helps us understand how galaxies, planets, and stars work.

Professor Gupta reached this conclusion using a combination of covariation coupling constant (CCC) and “tired light” (TL) theory (CCC+TL model).

His model combines two ideas: how the forces of nature diminish over cosmic time and that light loses energy as it travels long distances.

It has been tested and shown to be consistent with several observations, including how galaxies spread and how light from the early universe evolved.

The discovery challenges the common understanding of the universe, which suggests that about 27% of the universe is made up of dark matter, less than 5% is normal matter, and the rest is dark energy.

“This new discovery confirms previous research, which found that the universe is 26.7 billion years old, and found that the existence of dark matter is not necessary for the universe,” said Gupta. the professor said.

“Standard cosmology says that the accelerating expansion of the universe is caused by dark energy, but it's actually because the forces of nature weaken as the universe expands, not by dark energy.”

In his research, Professor Gupta analyzed data from a recent paper on the distribution of galaxies at low redshifts and the angular size of the sound horizon in the literature at high redshifts.

“There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but to my knowledge, my paper does not support the existence of dark matter, while being consistent with the major cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm.” “This is the first paper to exclude ,” he said.

“By challenging the need for dark matter in the universe and providing evidence for a new cosmological model, this study opens up new avenues for exploring the fundamental properties of the universe.”

of paper Published in astrophysical journal.

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Rajendra P.Gupta other. 2024. Testing the CCC+TL cosmology with observed baryon acoustic vibration signatures. APJ 964, 55; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad1bc6

Source: www.sci.news

Review: Alone in the Dark – Jodie Comer and David Harbor struggle to elevate this lackluster horror game

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IIt’s fitting that this latest Alone in the Dark game chooses a generational curse as its premise, as the series that pioneered the survival horror genre hasn’t had a good run for nearly 30 years. Its various misadventures include the disastrous 2008 game of the same name. The game included a blink-only button, among many strange design decisions. But it was terrible, at least in an interesting way, and that’s more than can be said for this boring and derivative re-imagining of the game that started it all.

Set in early 20th century Louisiana, Alone in the Dark follows Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer), who is sent to a mental health clinic after receiving a worrying letter from her uncle Jeremy. It depicts a visit to Tokoro Delceto Manor. So worried, in fact, that she not only hires private investigator Edward Carnby (David Harbour) to accompany her, but one of the first questions she asks Carnby is whether he’s “waving a gun.” I expected that there might be a need for it, so I was wondering if he brought a gun. She is there to meet her uncle.

As it happens, you get to choose between Carnby and Heartwood to swing the gun, and that decision creates a slightly different perspective on the same story. This reimagining retains the general premise of his 1992 original, but its presentation and mechanics are heavily borrowed from Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 2. Explore Delceto mansion in limited freedom and solve simple puzzles to unlock different rooms. This is interspersed with more action-oriented segments where you enter Uncle Jeremy’s dreams and fight monsters in locations inspired by HP Lovecraft’s stories.




Very boring most of the time…Alone in the Dark, 2024. Photo: Places Interactive/THQ Nordic

The southern Gothic manor house is fun enough to explore, and the puzzles it contains may be a little distracting. But for the most part, Alone in the Dark is pretty boring. The biggest problem is writing. The game aims for a snappy, noir-esque detachment, but it can’t match it with the fundamental silliness of a Lovecraftian mystery. The sudden switch in tone and location is more disconcerting than interesting. It also struggles to justify itself. Why do the dual protagonists spend most of the game apart, even though Heartwood specifically hired Carnby to protect her?

If Pieces Interactive was hoping that the star talent they hired would improve their writing skills, unfortunately the effect is quite the opposite. Comer seems confused as to what Heartwood’s character is. Almost every line she says is off-key. Simple filler phrases like “I need the key” sound like something a sarcastic teenager would say to her. Harbor sometimes sounds like he’s reading a script with one eye on the clock, but he does a somewhat better job of it.

It’s worth noting that the Resident Evil games aren’t narrative masterpieces either. But those people teeth Scary and exciting, the qualities of Alone in the Dark stumble past. Aside from a few instances, exploring the mansion lacks any sense of suspense, as combat and puzzle-solving exist in separate realms. Even in the dream world, encounters with monsters are surprisingly rare. Assuming you can’t stand enemies quaking in corners due to the game’s regular AI glitches, it might be fun to shoot them when they appear, but most other interactions are underwhelming or not at all It’s frustrating. Melee combat is sluggish, but opening doors and climbing ladders is excruciatingly slow.




The sudden change in sound is more disconcerting than intriguing… Alone in the Dark, 2024. Photo: Places Interactive/THQ Nordic

Moreover, for someone who is supposed to be lost in the abyss of madness, Jeremy’s dreamscapes are disappointingly mundane. These include Louisiana swamps, cemeteries, warehouses, and libraries (apparently ancient). You’ll visit some more exotic locations later on, but they’re too fleeting to have much of an impact. It takes enough effort just to hear real people talk about their dreams. If you’re going to force yourself to experience a fake person’s dream, you’d better make sure it’s very weird.

Where Alan Wake 2’s excellent surrealist horror offered a clear and compelling story while reveling in its weirdness, Alone in the Dark was too staid, too clumsy and, so haphazard that it evokes nothing more than a shrug. The mystery surrounding Jeremy’s madness isn’t worth the weighty unraveling, but the combat and puzzle-solving are just a shadow of Resident Evil 2’s excellent design. It seems the curse lives on.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gigapixel Images of Bella Supernova Remnant Captured by Dark Energy Camera

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Astronomers harness powerful energy dark energy camera The Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope (DECam) at Cerro Tororo Inter-American Observatory, a program of NSF's NOIRLab, Huge 1.3 gigapixel image The Vela supernova remnant is the remains of a giant star that exploded in the constellation Vela about 11,000 years ago.

This DECam image shows the Vela supernova remnant, the remnant of a supernova explosion 800 light-years away in the southern constellation of Vela. Image credits: CTIO / NOIRLab / DOE / NSF / AURA / TA University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor and NSF's NOIRLab / M. Zamani and D. de Martin, NSF's NOIRLab.

of Bella supernova remnantVela SNR for short, is one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in the sky and one of the closest supernova remnants to Earth.

Its progenitor star exploded 11,000 to 12,300 years ago south of the constellation Vore.

The association of this supernova remnant with the bella pulsar, made by Australian astronomers in 1968, provided direct observational evidence that supernovae form neutron stars.

“When this star exploded 11,000 years ago, its outer layer was violently stripped away and splattered around, creating a shock wave that can still be seen today,” the astronomers said in a statement.

“As the shock wave spreads into the surrounding region, hot, energetic gas flies away from the point of explosion, becomes compressed and interacts with the interstellar medium, producing the blue and yellow thread-like filaments seen in the image. .”

“Vela SNR is a gigantic structure, almost 100 light-years long and 20 times the diameter of a full moon in the night sky.”

“Although the star's final moments were dramatic, he did not completely disappear.”

“After the outer layers were shed, the star's core collapsed into a neutron star, an ultra-dense ball of protons and electrons that collided with each other to form neutrons.”

“The neutron star, named Bela pulsar, is now a supercondensed object containing the mass of a Sun-like star in a sphere just a few kilometers in diameter.”

“The Bela pulsar, located in the lower left region of this image, is a relatively faint star and indistinguishable from the thousands of objects next to it.”

Vela SNR's new image is the largest DECam image ever published, containing an astonishing 1.3 gigapixels.

“The striking reds, yellows, and blues in this image were achieved by using three DECam filters, each collecting a specific color of light,” the researchers said.

“Separate images were taken with each filter and stacked on top of each other to produce this high-resolution color image showing the intricate web-like filaments snaking throughout the expanding gas cloud.”

Source: www.sci.news

Chinese Hackers for Hire Exposed in Major Cybersecurity Breach | The Dark Reality of Cybercrime

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The recent data breach from a Chinese cybersecurity company has exposed national security agencies paying substantial amounts of money to collect information about a variety of targets, including foreign governments, while hackers gather vast amounts of data on individuals and organizations that might be of interest to potential customers for their companies.

A set of over 500 leaked files from the Chinese company, I-Soon, has been posted on the developer’s website Github, with cybersecurity experts confirming their authenticity. The targets discussed in the leaked files include NATO and the UK Foreign Office.

The leak provides an unprecedented glimpse into the world of Chinese-employed hackers, with Britain’s security chief describing it as a “significant” challenge for the country. The leaked files consist of chat logs, company prospectuses, and data samples, revealing the scope of China’s intelligence-gathering operations and highlighting the market pressures faced by Chinese commercial hackers in a sluggish economy.

Yisun is believed to have collaborated with another Chinese hacking organization, Chengdu 404, which has been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for cyberattacks not only in the United States but also on companies in China and Hong Kong democracy activists.

Other targets discussed in the I-Soon leak include the British think tank Chatham House, public health agencies of Asean countries, and foreign ministries. The leak also indicates that certain data has been collected according to specifications, while in other cases special agreements have been made with the Chinese Public Security Bureau to collect specific types of data.

Chatham House has expressed concern over the leaked data, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding their data and information. Similarly, NATO has acknowledged the persistent cyber threats and stated that it is investing in large-scale cyber defense. However, the British Foreign Office declined to comment.

I-Soon’s services range from gaining access to email inboxes to hacking accounts, obtaining personal information from social media platforms, retrieving data from internal databases, and compromising various operating systems. The leaked files also suggest that the Chinese state is collecting as much data as possible.

Isun’s office building in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, southwest China. Photo: Kang Dak/AP

The leaked documents further reveal that I-Soon has sought “anti-terrorism” support and has claimed to have obtained data from various organizations. The company was also involved in discussions about sales practices and the company’s internal situation.

The leaked data also includes screenshots and chat logs where employees discuss the company’s operations and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their business. The company’s CEO expressed concerns about the loss of core staff, the subsequent impact on customer confidence, and the loss of business.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Dark Universe: A Novel

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science of phenomena

Being optimistic, believing in your abilities, practicing affirmations, being grateful, and setting clear goals can bring real benefits. But is manifestation pure pseudoscience, or does it mean something? We look at how the WOOP approach can actively support you on your journey towards realizing your dreams. I’ll go.

volcanic eruption

After three years of violent eruptions, experts now believe that Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula has entered a new phase of volcanic activity.

counterintuitive universe

The world is not what it seems. This special feature explores how science has exposed fallacies and false beliefs about heaven and earth throughout history.

planet nine

Something strange is happening beyond Neptune, and it may change everything we think we know about our solar system. Could orbital oddities reveal the existence of undiscovered planets near our heavens? Or is it something else?

plus

  • CES 2024’s biggest innovations: Every year, Las Vegas hosts the Consumer Electronics Show, where technology manufacturers from around the world gather to unveil their latest developments. From transparent technology to domestic robots and the latest cooking appliances, technology expert Alex Hughes shares some of the highlights.
  • Pothole: There are 750,000 potholes in Britain’s roads, creating a crater-like structure. These can cause serious damage to vehicles and pose a danger to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. But with bacteria and self-healing asphalt, it could be smooth again.
  • First moon base: Head to the moon’s south pole to peer inside what may be the first human habitation on the moon. Initially he planned to house 144 people, but the modular design of the Lunar Habitat Master Plan will expand and evolve with the inhabitants.

Issue 402 Released on February 22, 2024

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don’t forget that BBC Science Focus Also available on all major digital platforms. There is a version of android, Kindle Fire and Kindle e-readers, but also, iOS app For iPad and iPhone.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Astrophysical mysteries unraveled by new dark matter theory

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Researchers have advanced our understanding of dark matter through simulations that support the self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) theory. This theory has the potential to resolve the discrepancy in dark matter density observed in different galaxies, poses a challenge to traditional cold dark matter (CDM) models, and highlights the dynamic nature of dark matter. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Dark matter may be more active than previously thought, reports a study from the University of California, Riverside.

Dark matter, which is thought to make up 85% of the matter in the universe, does not emit light and its properties are still poorly understood. Normal matter absorbs, reflects, and emits light, but dark matter cannot be seen directly, making it difficult to detect. A theory called “self-interacting dark matter” (SIDM) claims that dark matter particles self-interact with each other due to dark forces, causing them to collide strongly with each other near the centers of galaxies.

Among the works published in of Astrophysics Journal LetterA research team led by Haibo Yu, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Riverside, reports that SIDM can simultaneously explain two extreme astrophysical puzzles.

Understanding dark matter halos and gravitational lenses

“The first is a halo of dense dark matter in a giant elliptical galaxy,” Yu said. “The halo is detected by observations of strong gravitational lenses, and its density is so high that it is extremely unlikely under the prevailing cold dark matter theory. Second, the density of dark matter halos in superdiffuse galaxies is extremely low. is extremely low and difficult to explain using cold dark matter theory.”

A dark matter halo is an invisible halo of matter that permeates and surrounds a galaxy or galaxy cluster. Gravitational lensing occurs when light traveling across space from a distant galaxy is bent around a massive object. The cold dark matter (CDM) paradigm/theory assumes that dark matter particles do not collide. As the name suggests, superdiffuse galaxies have extremely low luminosity and a dispersed distribution of stars and gas.

Hai-Bo Yu is a theoretical physicist at the University of California, Riverside, with expertise in the particle properties of dark matter.Credit: Samantha Tiu

Yu was also joined in the study by Ethan Nadler, a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Observatory and the University of Southern California, and Danen Yang, a postdoctoral fellow at UCR.

To show that SIDM can explain two puzzles in astrophysics, the research team presents a theory of cosmic structure formation with strong dark matter self-interactions at relevant mass scales for strong lenticular halos and superdiffuse galaxies. We conducted our first high-resolution simulation.

“These self-interactions cause heat transfer within the halo and diversify the halo density in the central region of the galaxy,” Nadler said. “In other words, some halos have higher center densities and others have lower center densities compared to their CDM counterparts, the details of which depend on the evolutionary history of the Universe and the environment of the individual halo.”

Challenges to the CDM paradigm and future research

According to the research team, these two puzzles pose a formidable challenge to the standard CDM paradigm.

“CDM takes on the challenge of explaining these mysteries,” Yang said. “SIDM is probably a good candidate for reconciling two opposing extremes. There are no other explanations in the literature. We now know that dark matter may be more complex and active than we expected. There is an interesting possibility that there is.”

The study also demonstrates the ability to investigate dark matter through astrophysical observations using computer simulation tools of cosmic structure formation.

“We hope that our study will encourage further research in this promising research area,” Yu said. “This is a particularly timely development given the expected influx of data in the near future from observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Rubin Observatory.”

Since around 2009, the work of Yu and his collaborators has popularized SIDM in the particle physics and astrophysics communities.

References: Ethan O. Nadler, Danen Yang, and Haibo Yu, “Self-interacting dark matter solutions for the extreme diversity of low-mass halo properties,” November 30, 2023. Astrophysics Journal Letter.
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad0e09

This research was supported by the John Templeton Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Is Pulsar Light the Key to Solving the Dark Matter Mystery?

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New research explores the possibility that dark matter is composed of theoretical particles called axions, and focuses on detecting them through additional light from pulsars. Although axions have not yet been confirmed in early observations, this research is critical to understanding dark matter.

A central question in the ongoing search for dark matter is: What is dark matter made of? One possible answer is that dark matter is made up of particles known as axions. A recent study by astrophysicists at the University of Amsterdam and Princeton University suggests that if dark matter is indeed made of axions, it could manifest itself in the form of subtle additional glow emanating from pulsating stars.

Dark matter may be the most sought-after building block in our universe. Remarkably, this mysterious form of matter, so far undetectable by physicists and astronomers, is thought to make up a huge portion of what exists on Earth. It is suspected that more than 85% of the matter in the universe is “dark”, and at the moment it is only recognized by the gravitational force it exerts on other celestial bodies. Naturally, scientists want to look directly detect its existence rather than just inferring it from gravitational effects. And of course they want to know what of course, solve two problems One thing is clear: dark matter cannot be the same kind of matter that makes up you and me. If so, dark matter would simply behave like ordinary matter. Dark matter will form star-like objects, will glow, and will no longer be “dark.” So scientists are looking for something new, a type of particle that no one has detected yet, and perhaps one that only interacts very weakly with the types of particles we know about.

One common hypothesis is that dark matter may be made of: Axion. This hypothetical type of particle was first introduced in the 1970s when he solved a problem that had nothing to do with dark matter. The separation of positive and negative charges inside a neutron, one of the building blocks of a normal atom, turns out to be unexpectedly small. Of course, scientists wanted to know why. It turns out that the presence of a previously undetected type of particle that interacts very weakly with components of neutrons can cause just such an effect. Frank Wilczek, who later won the Nobel Prize, came up with the name for this new particle. Axion – as well as similar to another particle name such as protons, neutrons, and electrons. photon, but it’s also inspired by the laundry detergent of the same name. Axion existed to solve problems. In fact, it might clean up the two even if it’s not detected. Several theories about elementary particles, including string theory, one of the leading candidate theories for unifying all the forces in nature, seem to predict the possibility of axion-like particles.

Fortunately, there appears to be a way out of this conundrum for axions. If the theory predicting axions is correct, not only would axions be expected to be produced in large quantities in the universe, but some axions could also be converted to light in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields. If there is light, we can see. Could this be the key to detecting axions and, by extension, dark matter? To answer this question, scientists first had to ask themselves where in the universe the strongest known electric and magnetic fields occur. The answer is known in the region around rotating neutron stars. pulsar. These pulsars (short for “pulsating stars”) are dense objects with a mass about the same as the Sun, but a radius about 100,000 times smaller, or only about 10 km. Because pulsars are so small, they rotate at enormous frequencies and emit bright, narrow beams of radio radiation along their axis of rotation. Just like a lighthouse pulsarThe beam can sweep across the Earth, making it easy to observe the pulsating star. But the pulsar’s massive rotation does more than that. it is, neutron star It turns into a very powerful electromagnet. That could mean Pulsar is a highly efficient axion factory. The average pulsar can produce 50 orders of magnitude axions per second. Because of the strong electromagnetic fields surrounding pulsars, some of these axions can be converted into observable light.

As always in science, carrying out such observations in practice is, of course, not so easy. The light emitted by axions (which can be detected in the form of radio waves) is only a fraction of the total light these bright cosmic lighthouses send back to us. Much less can we quantify the difference and turn it into a measurement of the amount of dark matter. This is exactly what a team of physicists and astronomers are currently doing. Through a collaboration between the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United States, the research team has uncovered details about how axions are created, how axions escape the neutron star’s gravity, and…

First observational tests were performed on the theory and simulation results…referencesystem, simulate a subtle glow

Next, first observational tests were performed on the theory and simulation results…referencesystem to show that it is very unlikely that axions are a component of…s

Note: The original content contained HTML tags, it’s been removed in the rewrite.

Source: scitechdaily.com