Dark Matter

Dark Matter, in astronomy, nonluminous

material that cannot be directly detected by
observing any form of electromagnetic radiation,
but whose existence is suggested by certain
theoretical considerations. Determining if dark
matter exists, and in what quantity, are some of
the most challenging problems in modern
astrophysics.

Three principal theoretical considerations

suggest that dark matter exists. The first is
based on the rotation rate of galaxies. Galaxies
near the Milky Way appear to be rotating faster
than would be expected based on the amount of
visible matter that appears to be in these
galaxies. Many astronomers believe there is
enough evidence to conclude that, based on its
rate of rotation, up to 90 percent of the matter in
a typical galaxy is invisible.

The second theoretical consideration is based on

the presence of clusters of galaxies. Many
galaxies in the universe are grouped together in
clusters. Some astronomers argue that if some
reasonable assumptions are accepted—
specifically, that the clustered galaxies are
bound together by gravity, and that the clusters
formed billions of years ago—then it follows that
more than 90 percent of the matter in a given
cluster is made up of dark matter. Otherwise,
the proponents of this interpretation argue,
clusters would lack enough mass to keep them
together, and the galaxies would have moved
apart by now.

The third theoretical consideration that suggests

that dark matter exists is based on the
inflationary big bang model. Of the three
theories suggesting the existence of dark
matter, this is the most controversial. The
inflationary big bang model asserts that the
universe went through a period of extremely
rapid expansion when very young (see
Inflationary Theory). However, if the inflationary
big bang model is correct, then the cosmological
constant for the expansion of the universe is
close to one. In order for this constant to be near
one, the total mass of the universe must be
more than 100 times the amount of visible mass
that appears to be in the universe. This
calculation indicates that more than 99 percent
of the mass of the universe must arise from dark
matter.

There are several possible candidates for the

material that makes up dark matter. These
include neutrinos with mass, undetected brown
dwarfs (star like objects that are smaller and
much fainter than the sun), white dwarf stars,
black holes, and exotic subatomic particles
whose properties preclude detection by
observing electromagnetic radiation.

Scientists have found some experimental

evidence for dark matter. Astronomers at Bell
Labs in the United States found evidence for
dark matter in an image taken by the Hubble
Space Telescope (HST) in 1997. Light from a
cluster of galaxies in the image was bent by
another cluster of galaxies in the foreground of
the picture. By making computer models of the
cluster in the foreground and matching them to
the way it bent the light of the background
cluster in the image, the scientists were able to
estimate the mass of the foreground cluster. The
model that fit best showed that the cluster’s
mass was about 250 times as great as the mass
of just the visible part of the cluster.

Contributed By:
Yoji Kondo