As reported by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in a statement, work, collected in the latest issue of the magazine “Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society”, displays, unlike knowledge unusual behavior of dark matter that had so far about the nature of this mysterious component of the universe.
The scientists observed the simultaneous collision of four galaxies in the cluster Abell 3827, with the VLT (Telescope Large size) of ESO in Chile and the Hubble Space Telescope when they captured evidence that dark matter could have interacted with itself.
Although dark matter can not be seen, scientists were able to deduce their location due to the distorting effect that its mass in the light of galaxies background, a technique called gravitational lensing.
On this occasion, the key provided fifth galaxy located beyond the collision, whose light reached Earth distorted after passing through the collision of galaxies was watching
“The mass of the cluster violently distorted spacetime, diverting the path of the light from the distant galaxy.” says the Observatory.
Astronomers know already that all galaxies exist within clumps of dark matter and that without the binding effect of the gravity of this matter, galaxies like the Milky Way, would disintegrate when turning.
It is reckoned that the 85 percent of the mass of the universe must be dark matter, although its true nature remains a mystery.
In this study, the scientists saw a host of dark matter seemed to fall behind Galaxy the surrounding
In fact, says the ESO, is currently behind the galaxy, at a distance of 5,000 light years.; “The Voyager spacecraft NASA would take 90 million years to reach that point as far away from our galaxy, the Milky Way,” he added.
The implication is that there may be, during collisions a lag between dark matter and galaxy associated if the dark matter interacts with itself, even very slightly, by forces other than gravity.
“We used to think that dark matter is simply there , minding your own business, except when we see its gravitational pull. But if dark matter was slowed during the collision, could be the first physical evidence valuable for those working “in the field, says the study’s lead author, Richard Massey, British University of Durham.
Scientists assume that it will be necessary to investigate other effects that could also produce this gap, implying more galaxies observations or computer simulations of collisions be.
“We know that dark matter exists because of the way it interacts gravitationally, helping to shape the universe, but we still know very little about what is actually” explains Liliya Williams of the University of Minnesota.
If it is found that dark matter can interact with other forces that are not gravity, could discard some fundamental theories about what could be the dark matter stands.
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