Over 80 years, darkish matter has been a fantastic thriller for the researchers. Elusive of direct remark, it has made its existence recognized solely by the gravitational impacts it makes on cosmic structures. Though there’s a variety of oblique proof of its existence, the actual nature of darkish matter remains to be unknown. An vital attribute of its particle is mass. Whereas previous research have constrained the mass of fermionic darkish matter utilizing quantum ideas like Pauli’s exclusion precept, bosonic darkish matter remained much less constrained. In a current examine, scientists have estimated a brand new decrease certain on the mass of ultra-lightweight bosonic dark matter particles.

Concerning the examine

In keeping with the examine published in Bodily Assessment Letters, the mass of ultralight bosonic darkish matter have to be greater than 2 × 10-21 electron volts (eV), 100 instances greater than earlier estimates utilizing Heisenberg’s uncertainty precept.

The crew of researchers, led by the primary writer of the examine, Tim Zimmermann, a Ph.D. candidate on the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, College of Oslo, targeted their technique on the info of Leo II, the Milky Approach’s satellite tv for pc galaxy. It’s a dwarf galaxy 1,000 instances smaller than the Milky Way. By analyzing the interior motions of stars inside Leo II—closely influenced by darkish matter—the crew derived 5,000 potential darkish matter density profiles utilizing a instrument referred to as GRAVSPHERE.

They in contrast these with profiles generated by quantum wave capabilities of varied darkish matter particle lots. If the particle is simply too gentle, quantum fuzziness spreads it too thinly, stopping it from forming the noticed constructions. The examine concluded that the darkish matter particle will need to have a mass better than 2.2 × 10⁻²¹ electron volts (eV)—over 100 instances greater than earlier decrease estimates.

Influence on darkish matter research

The findings have vital implications for well-liked ultralight darkish matter fashions, notably fuzzy darkish matter, which generally proposes particles with lots round 10-22 ev.

Wanting forward, the crew plans to increase their methodology to combined darkish matter eventualities, the place darkish matter consists of particles with completely different lots.