Dark Matter & Dark Energy 19th March 2014

What the Universe is Made Of

- Neutrino = subatomic particle, emitted in nuclear reactions or when very
high energy photons hit an atom.
- 21% = Dark Matter
- 74% = Dark Energy
What is Dark Matter?
- We can only account for about 5% of the mass of the universe with stuff
we can specifically identify.
- Based on Newtons Theory of Gravity, we can approximate how much
matter should be.
What do we think Dark Matter Exists?
- Rotational Curves and Individual Galaxies
- Galaxy orbits in clusters
- Gravitational lensing
- Looking at cosmic collisions of 2 galaxy clusters, splitting normal matter
and dark matter apart.
How can we be sure that we have the right theory of gravity?
- We arent sure, but general relativity works so well that it takes strong
evidence to adopt something else.
o Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND)
THEORY FOR DARK MATTER: MACHOS Massive Compact Halo Objects
Candidates:
- White Dwarfs
- Brown Dwarfs
PRO We can test it.
CON We have tested it, and we cant add up enough white/brown dwarfs to be
enough.
THEORY FOR DARK MATTER: Neutrinos
Adding up all the neutrinos to fill in the rotation curves.
PRO: If Dark matter was created of these hot, fast moving particles.
CON: They move too fast. The structure we see today is too clumpy, doesnt go
together with predictions.
THEORY FOR DARK MATTER: Weakly Interaction Massive Particles (WIMP)
THEORY FOR DARK MATTER: String Theory Quantized Gravity Leaks
PRO: Tidy. Mathematically sound.

CONS: Cant be tested.

Dark Matter Recap:
Massive Neutrons
o Matter too clumpt
Supermassive Black holes
o Would have more signature in lensing
MACHOS
o Microlensing experiements detect some but not enough
o Would requirem ore heavy elements that we can account for
Monday
o Bullet cluster appears to rule out
Parallel
o Not currently testable. Maybe new particle ace. Will help.
o
WIMPS best so far.