Detect a possible signal of dark matter – La Vanguardia

Madrid. (EP) -.’s (ESA ) Chandra X-ray Observatory NASA and the XMM-Newton European Space Agency have detected a possible dark matter signal , the mysterious and invisible substance that makes up most of the material universe.

Specifically, the two ships saw a peak X-ray emission from over 70 different clusters of galaxies. While the origin of the X-ray remains unclear yet. Could be generated by the decomposition of some type of dark matter particles, as pointed out by scientists.

“We know the explanation of dark matter is a long shot, but the payoff would be huge if we reason, “noted the study’s lead author Esra Bulbul, who pointed out that both teams will” continue testing this interpretation “to see” where it takes you. “

Dark matter is so named because neither absorbs nor emits light, so it is impossible to observe directly. Still, astronomers know that it exists because it interacts gravitationally with normal matter , which can be seen and touched.

In fact, it is believed that dark matter accounts for over 80 percent of all matter in the universe. What is missing in this theory is to know exactly what is dark matter. Over the years, experts have proposed a number of exotic particles as candidate components of dark matter , including weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, sterile neutrinos (a hypothetical type of neutrinos emitted X-rays when it decays).

It is possible that the signal observed by Chandra and XMM-Newton has been produced by sterile neutrinos, as researchers have pointed out, but at the same time, have recognized that is far from a sure thing.

“We have much work to do before we can say with certainty that we have found sterile neutrinos , but the possibility has us excited,” stated another author of the study, Maxim Markevitch.

Normal matter in galaxy clusters may also have been responsible for the issue, but this interpretation does not fit well with current thinking about galaxy clusters and atomic physics of hot gases.

“Our next step is to combine data from Chandra and Suzaku mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to see if we find the same points of X rays in a large number of galaxy clusters “, scientists have pointed to this research, which was published in The Astrophysical Journal .