Dark Matter. New Structures, Old Particles (eBook)

Scientific Essay from the year 2018 in the subject Physics - Nuclear Physics, grade: 3.00, , language: English, abstract: It is shown that there may exist at least two different forms of dark matter fashioned from existing baryonic matter, specifically, neutrons. The structures developed are considerably more massive than the number of particles from which they are formed and are argued to be candidates for dark matter since they have no electrical charge, no electrons, hence no chemistry and no photonic emission. They can only interact with each other and other baryons through the agency of gravity. Further, one of the forms is much more likely to clump than the other and raises the possibility that there are large-scale formations of different types of the substance, one of which may more easily be disrupted than the other. This may present further challenges for astronomical experimenters in the task of observing and identifying dark matter, for, on a large scale the distribution of dark matter within, for example, a galaxy may be unique to that constellation. In addition, detection of these structures on a small scale, by the usual method of collision with other matter, may be rendered difficult, if not impossible, for the structures can only be accelerated to high speeds by interacting with intense gravitational fields.