A new theory suggests that dark matter acts very much like subatomic particles known to the scientific community since the 1930s—pions.
Dark matter, the thing that keeps galaxies, stars, and our solar system intact and of which more exists in the universe than regular old matter, isn’t visible. The only way we can observe it is by taking a look at the behavior of celestial objects that we can see.
An international group of researchers has proposed that dark matter is very similar to pions—the subatomic particles that hold atomic nuclei together, according to a statement from the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe. Their findings were published in Physical Review Letters on July 10.
Hitoshi Murayama, Professor of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe at the University of Tokyo (that’s a mouthful) explains: “We have seen this kind of particle before. It has the same properties—same type of mass, the same type of interactions, in the same type of theory of strong interactions that gave forth the ordinary pions.”
The theory suggests that dark matter likely interacts with itself within galaxies or galaxy clusters, possibly modifying predicted mass distributions, according to the source.
Eric Kuflik of Cornell University says, “It can resolve outstanding discrepancies between data and computer simulations,” with UC Berkeley researcher Yonit Hochberg adding, “The key differences in these properties between this new class of dark matter theories and previous ideas have profound implications on how dark matter can be discovered in upcoming experimental searches.”
The theory will soon be tested in a series of experiments utilizing the Large Hadron Collider, the SuperKEKB, and the SHiP experiment.
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Feature Image: This is an artist’s impression of dark matter distribution. Left image assumes conventional dark matter theories, where dark matter would be highly peaked in small area in galaxy center. Right image assumes SIMPs, where dark matter in galaxy would spread out from the center. (Original credit: NASA, STScI; Credit: Kavli IPMU – Kavli IPMU modified this figure based on the image credited by NASA, STScI)
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