What is the density of dark matter? Scientists drastically reduce potential mass range for the first time

Scientists have calculated the mass range of dark matter – and it’s narrower than the scientific world thought.

Their findings – which should be published in Physics Letters B in March – drastically reduce the range of potential masses of dark matter particles and help focus the search for future dark matter hunters. Researchers at the University of Sussex used the established fact that gravity acts on dark matter just as it acts on the visible universe to determine the lower and upper limits of the mass of dark matter.

The results show that dark matter can neither be “ultralight” or “super-heavy,” as some have theorized, unless some as yet unknown force also acts on it.

The team used the hypothesis that the only force acting on dark matter is gravity and calculated that dark matter particles must have a mass between 10^-3 eV and 10^seven eV. It is a much narrower range than the 10^-24 eV – 10¹⁹ GeV spectrum which is generally theorized.

What makes the discovery even more significant is that if it turns out that Dark Matter’s mass is outside the range predicted by the Sussex team, it will also prove that additional strength – as well as gravity – acts on Dark Matter.

Professor Xavier Calmet from the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Sussex said:

“This is the first time anyone has thought of using what we know about quantum gravity as a way to calculate the mass range of dark matter. We were surprised to find that no one had done this before, as were fellow scientists. our paper.

“What we have done shows that dark matter can neither be” ultralight “nor” super-heavy “as some believe – unless some yet-unknown additional force acts on it. This research helps physicists in two . means: it focuses Dark Matter’s search area, and it will potentially also help reveal whether or not there is some mysterious additional unknown force in the universe. “

Folkert Kuipers, a Ph.D. student working with Professor Calmet, at the University of Sussex, said:

“As a doctoral student, it’s great to be able to work on such exciting and impactful research as this. Our results are very good news for experimenters as it will help them get closer to discovering the true nature of Dark Matter. “

The visible universe – like us, the planets and the stars – makes up 25% of all the mass of the universe. The remaining 75% is made up of Dark Matter.

We know that gravity acts on dark matter because that is what explains the shape of galaxies.