Definition of Dark Matter
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Javier Navarro, in Jul. 2016
The universe is full of things and not all of them are visible. Keep in mind that the cosmos Not only does it emit visible light, it also emits infrared, ultraviolet, microwave, gamma rays, and electromagnetic radiation. And all of it is invisible. From this information, astronomers deduce that there must also be a different type of matter, which they call dark matter.
What is known about dark matter?
There are two fundamental characteristics of dark matter: it is electrically neutral and dark. Therefore, this implies that this matter does not interact with electromagnetic waves (neither absorbs nor emits them). On the other hand, dark matter is cold and stable and, consequently, lasts over time.
To understand dark matter, physicists and astronomers need a scientific model different from the standard model. In other words, there is currently no theoretical framework that allows to explain what dark matter is totally like.
Scientists try to understand dark matter from axions, supersymmetric particles or signals that inhabit strange dimensions. This alternative path is because the conventional parameters of the atomic model do not match the rarity of dark matter.
The challenge of science in the face of dark matter
The challenge of science in the real experimentation of dark matter presents two alternatives as possible solutions:
1) detect dark matter by a method direct detection (it is intended to observe a collision between a particle dark matter and an atom from a detector) and
2) detect dark matter by an indirect detection method (looking for a possible interaction of the dark matter particles in the halo of our galaxy).
Dark matter is unlike anything we have seen or known on Earth so far. However, scientists argue that dark matter particles have a relevant role in the training of galaxies. On conclusion, science is faced with a phenomenon atypical: everything indicates that there is a dark matter but it is not possible yet decide What is it.
Photos: iStock - johnason / Robin_Hoood
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