New discoveries of dark matter using precise pulsar measurements and new experiments

Evidence of possible dark matter objects has been discovered using precise pulsar timing measurements.

Pulsars are neutron stars that emit radio waves at very regular intervals. Because of this, they are very reliable timekeepers.

Professor John LoSecco of the University of Notre Dame discovered variations in the arrival times of radio pulses from pulsars, indicating the presence of invisible mass between the pulsars and the telescope. He believes these masses are candidates for dark matter.

Professor LoSecco analyzed data from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array, which uses data from seven radio telescopes. These pulses have a cadence of three weeks in three observational bands. Deviations caused by dark matter have a clearly defined shape and size proportional to their mass. Light passing near dark matter slows down, and the data revealed a dozen incidents that look like interactions with dark matter.

Professor LoSecco stated: "We take advantage of the motion of the Earth, the Sun, the pulsars, and dark matter. We observe deviations in arrival times caused by changing distances between the mass and the line of sight to the pulsar."

A sun-sized mass can cause a delay of about 10 microseconds. Professor LoSecco's observations have a resolution on the order of nanoseconds. "One of the findings suggests a distortion of about 20 percent of the mass of the Sun," said Professor LoSecco. "This object could be a candidate for dark matter."

The new BREAD experiment, conducted at the University of Chicago, has shown high sensitivity in the frequency range designed to explore dark matter. These results have for the first time demonstrated the power of this approach, and additional experiments are planned to improve the sensitivity of the search for axions, hypothetical dark matter particles.

New results from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) confirm Einstein's theory of general relativity. This research provides new insights into the distribution of dark matter in the universe and its impact on the evolution of structures in the universe.

Dark matter remains one of the greatest mysteries of modern science. Although it makes up about 85 percent of the matter in the universe, scientists still don't know much about its nature. Professor LoSecco's research and the results of the BREAD experiment aim to shed light on these mysteries and provide new insights into dark matter and its role in cosmology.

Recent research conducted at Clemson University has shown that dark matter may play a key role in galaxy formation. This research uses data collected over 14 years using the Fermi-LAT telescope. The results have revealed that dark matter may influence the formation of new stars and the evolution of galaxies.

Additionally, researchers from the University of Cambridge have created a detailed map of dark matter, showing how large concentrations of dark matter are responsible for the formation of structures in the universe. This map allows scientists to better understand the distribution of dark matter and its impact on gravitational forces.

In collaboration with the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, MIT, Caltech, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, scientists plan to conduct further dark matter research using advanced telescopes and detectors. This research has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of dark matter and its role in the universe.

A new project at the University of Pennsylvania uses innovative methods to detect dark matter through its gravitational effects on light. These results provide new insights into the nature of dark matter and its interaction with other forms of matter.

Finally, a team of scientists from the University of Tokyo is exploring the possibility of the existence of "fuzzy" dark matter, which could explain some of the anomalies observed in the distribution of galaxies. This research uses advanced simulations to predict the behavior of dark matter on large scales.

All these studies together provide a deeper understanding of dark matter and its role in cosmology, bringing us closer to answering one of the most important questions in modern science.

Source: Royal Astronomical Society