Theories unexplainable — Dark Matter
WIMPs as they get less mysterious day by day, the quest to detect Dark Matter particles is still remains unconquered. Since 1898, the year when Dark Matter was first observed indirectly, hundreds of theories have been theorized contributed by the greatest minds on Earth. While only some of them have contributed for being more than just a piece of paper, others have still induced new ways we could think towards.
The most popular being the theory of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). Some properties that WIMPs hold as per mathematics and observations are:
- Only interacts via Gravity: The inability to interact with other 3 Fundamental Forces makes it harder for humans to detect
- Excluded from the Standard Model: Among the [12+12+5] Elementary Particles, Dark Matter isn’t explained by any of them
- Have similar birth story as Elementary Particles, thermal condensation of energy during Big Bang Particle Formation
- They annihilate when collide with the same kind- at least they should mathematically.
- Fundamental Particle corresponding to Dark Matter would heavy in nature compared to the ones in Standard Model
Properties assigned to Dark Matter are mostly in agreement with the mathematics of the phenomena instead of direct observations. Although there may be some conclusions post observations and analysis about its properties like Gravitational Interaction.
SUSY, better know Supersymmetry was one the the grand ideas in Physics after the advent of Standard Model in the 1970s. Suggestion was that for every Fermion, a twin Boson existed and for every Boson, a Fermion. Dark Matter Theorists had a brief moment of joy. Mathematics indicated that a particle from the Supersymmetric Model perfectly pointed towards a Dark Matter Particle.
String Theory, one of the most popularized Fictional Science fortunately isn’t fiction at all. The notion that matter is fundamentally made up of a single tiny string vibrating at different frequencies existing in more than 4 dimensional world has fascinated Physicists since the 1930s.
A fascination to the Dark Matter theorists have birthed the idea that it is same as what the universe perceives as Baryonic Matter existing in non-quaternary dimensions, or better known as the higher dimensions other than the three dimensions of space and another of time.
The suggestion is the existence of Gravitational Force in all dimensions of the universe (>4) excluding the other three fundamental forces. Gravitational Force being an influence on all the dimensions irrespective of the dimensional presence of matter, the Baryonic Matter itself existing in the higher dimensions regard for the 4-Dimensional Gravitational Anomaly in the galaxies.
Turning Invisible or stop interacting with the Electromagnetic Radiation, being one and the same thing, Massive Compact Halo Objects bring another radical notion that Dark Matter is Baryonic Matter with the exception of some fundamental properties.
The exception comprises the inability to emit any kind of radiation itself nor interact with any incoming. Some of the similar kind are Black Holes, Brown Dwarfs or unassociated planetary bodies. The inability renders it almost impossible to observe any of it. Increased density of the same on the edge of the galaxies induce the high velocities due to Gravitational Influence.
A solution to the CP Violation Problem in Quantum Chromodynamics became a highlight for Dark Matter theorists. Particles commonly known as Axions hold a strong position in the Dark Matter community to account for Dark Matter in our universe. Multiple solutions of the same problem render more than one possibilities to account for the desired.
Not all axions fascinate the Dark Matter theorists but only the one having Axion Mass > 9/10⁴² kg. Their mass being the factor for its abundance and its influence on the Standard Model Particles.
Being one of the withstanding mysteries in our understanding of Elementary Particles, Neutrinos represent a possibility to define what Dark Matter really is. Except, the one that corresponds to Dark Matter doesn’t really match up to the standards where we include it in the Standard Model. Sterile Neutrinos, the one that corresponds to Dark Matter only finds a way to interact via Gravitational Force naturally with the inability to interact with Baryonic Matter or the remaining fundamental forces.
Sterile Neutrino’s unknown mass account for some arguments in the Dark Matter community. 1 kEV/c² (Kilo-electronvolt/speed of light²)= 1.78/10³³ kg, the required lower limit for the classification of sterile neutrinos as Dark Matter Candidates renders it more arguable for the people who anticipate for Dark Matter’s discovery or share the common interest.
Sharing the common inability to interact with the Baryonic Matter, what distinguishes the former the other 3 active neutrinos from the Standard Model? Having:
- Longer lifespan, exceeding the current age of our universe contrasted to the less than a microsecond corresponding to the latter’s.
- Non-relativistic Nature (comparatively really slow than the speed of light) being one of the prime properties required indicating that the former should be slower than the latter in the terms of velocity.
- Heavier Mass, responsible for the non-relativistic nature contribute to the conditions according to which Sterile Neutrinos can be listed as a Dark Matter Candidate.
Among hundreds other, the ones that I mentioned above have contributed most to the understanding both of the fundamental nature of Dark Matter and its influence on the Baryonic One including its contribution to the formation of what we today perceive as our Cosmos.
These were the Theories that led to the better understanding of Dark Matter, simply explained!
Excluding its Quantum Properties: How exactly does Dark Matter contributes to the Cosmos historically, How do we know Gravity isn’t an exception for what we know today, What efforts have we put to detect Dark Matter?
The answer to these questions you may find in the next story, or you curiosity!!
Thanks for reading till here, awesomely high-five 🙌🙌. Have a great day ahead!!
