The detection of positively charged hydrogen suggests the existence of a new form of dark matter.
The mystery of dark matter is one of the great unknowns in physics. Now, that mystery may have deepened. A group of researchers claims to have found evidence of a second type of dark matter.
Dark Matter 2.0. Scientists have proposed a unique hypothesis to explain an unusual chemical phenomenon observed in the central region of the Milky Way. Their theory suggests the existence of a new form of dark matter.
Charged hydrogen. Hydrogen clouds near the center of the galaxy lie at the heart of the mystery. What makes them puzzling is that they’re positively charged—meaning their hydrogen atoms have lost electrons.
The cause of this ionization remains unknown. Researchers suspect that “energetic particles” detected in this region suggest a “constant, roiling source of energy.” Their explanation, linked to dark matter, introduces an important nuance.
WIMPs. Dark matter is a key component of cosmological models that explain anomalies in the motion of galaxies and other large celestial bodies. It makes up about 85% of the universe’s matter and interacts with ordinary matter only through gravity, making it undetectable except by its gravitational effects.
One prevailing theory suggests dark matter consists of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). However, the new study indicates WIMPs aren’t responsible for the phenomenon observed at the center of the galaxy.
A question of mass. The researchers propose that the particles responsible for ionizing the hydrogen clouds belong to a new category of dark matter, characterized by a much lower mass than WIMPs.
According to their hypothesis, these tiny particles collide with each other, triggering a process called “annihilation,” which produces charged particles. These charged particles, in turn, ionize the surrounding gas clouds.
The study was published in Physical Review Letters.
Alternative hypotheses. Cosmic rays have been the main suspect in this phenomenon. However, the researchers argue their new theory offers a more precise explanation.
Observations indicate that the “energy signature” of the detected phenomena isn’t intense enough to be attributed to cosmic rays. This suggests that the cause of the annihilation must be “slower than a cosmic ray and less massive than a WIMP.”
Image | NASA
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