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Mysterious X-ray Signal Hints At Dark Matter

Astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the XMM-Newton have recorded an unusual emission of X-ray light from a remote cluster of galaxies which may turn out to be evidence of dark matter. Astronomers think dark matter constitutes 85% of the matter in the Universe, but does not emit or absorb light like “normal” matter such as protons, neutrons and electrons that make up the familiar elements observed in planets, stars, and galaxies. Because of this, scientists must use indirect methods to search for clues about dark matter. he latest results from Chandra and XMM-Newton consist of an unidentified X-ray emission line, that is, a spike of intensity at a very specific wavelength of X-ray light. Astronomers detected this emission line in the Perseus galaxy cluster using both Chandra and XMM-Newton. They also found the line in a combined study of 73 other galaxy clusters with XMM-Newton. ... The authors suggest this emission line could be a signature from the decay of a "sterile neutrino." (Abstract.) Sterile neutrinos are a hypothetical type of neutrino that is predicted to interact with normal matter only via gravity. Some scientists have proposed that sterile neutrinos may at least partially explain dark matter.

11 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Re:stimulate all of our senses & spirits at on by kruach+aum · · Score: 4, Funny

    "When the Sun shines upon Earth, 2 – major Time points are created on opposite sides of Earth – known as Midday and Midnight. Where the 2 major Time forces join, synergy creates 2 new minor Time points we recognize as Sunup and Sundown. The 4-equidistant Time points can be considered as Time Square imprinted upon the circle of Earth. In a single rotation of the Earth sphere, each Time corner point rotates through the other 3-corner Time points, thus creating 16 corners, 96 hours and 4-simultaneous 24-hour Days within a single rotation of Earth – equated to a Higher Order of Life Time Cube."

    I just realized this reference may be too old, and that made me sad.

  2. Re:Why isn't time dark matter? by Jason+Levine · · Score: 4, Informative

    Basically, IIRC, the best models that we have to explain the Universe say the Universe should have X amount of matter in it. When we look at the Universe, though, we see only 15% of X existing. So either our models are wildly off or there is a type of matter out there that we can't currently detect (so-called "dark matter" because we can't see it). In the case of the former, it's possible, but that would toss other theories - with more firm proof for them - out as well. In the case of the latter, it's completely possible that there is sort of a self-selection bias in play. We see normal matter regularly so our detection methods have been geared towards normal matter and miss the dark stuff.

    --
    My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  3. Re:Why isn't time dark matter? by TWX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because time doesn't impact mass.

    You should see my sister-in-law...

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  4. Re:This too shall pass by CaptainLard · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Phlogiston, the luminiferous aether, the Rutherford atom, dark matter, dark energy, the Higgs field... .

    Getting closer every day...

    Maybe one day we'll explore the idea that the geometry of space-time isn't flat, and that most of our constants aren't.

    Whats stopping you?

  5. Re:Why isn't time dark matter? by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    Because time doesn't impact mass.

    You should see my sister-in-law...

    Marriage impacts mass. Just compare the waistlines of your single and married friends, and you will see what I mean.

    At night, a bachelor goes to the refrigerator, looks at what's inside, and then goes directly to bed.

    At night, a married man goes to the bedroom, looks at what's inside, and then goes directly to the refrigerator.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  6. What ever happened to Occam's Razor? by Squidlips · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why do these crackpot-darkmatter-theories-du-jour all smell like mysticism?

  7. Re:This too shall pass by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Insightful

    so therefore the speed of light is changing with the expansion of the Universe.

    No, it isn't.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  8. Re:Doesn't jive for me by An+Ominous+Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    The hypothesis is not that the X-Rays are interacting with this type of dark matter. It is that the decay of this type of dark matter generates X-Rays.

  9. What ever happened to Occam's Razor? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because you don't understand them, so you assume they must be hokum.

  10. Re:This too shall pass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Also the idea that space it self isn't flat has also been investigated (Not an astrophysicist, but if I remember correctly current verdict is it's flat/nearly flat).

    The whole point of General Relativity, about to turn 100 years old next year, is that space is not flat on various scales. Observation suggests on the largest scales it averages out to flat, but physicists have put a lot of effort into understanding non-flat space on smaller scales (and even large scales in case observations are wrong).

  11. Re:Doesn't jive for me by An+Ominous+Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's the ambiguity of language that's at fault here. The key to the sentence you mentioned is "like normal matter". Normal matter absorbs electromagnetic radiation, increasing its energy level, and drops back to lower energy levels by emitting electromagnetic radiation. Thus, normal matter interacts with light. This is a different physical process than the emission of light due to decay of the particle itself.

    And while we haven't pinned down dark matter by any means, it's much more than a stab in the dark. For one, there are known particles--neutrinos--that do not interact via the electromagnetic force, so the idea of unknown particles with the same property isn't unrealistic.

    Then, there are clues from many different directions that point to something consistent with matter that interacts gravitationally but not electromagnetically. These include calculations concerning the total matter in the universe, galaxy cluster formation, the rotational speed of stars on the out edge of galaxies, etc.