Dark Matter as possible ground state for all matter

In summary, there are various theories regarding Dark Matter (DM) as a precursor or sublayer or ground state to Observable Matter (OM), and its potential interactions occurring faster than the speed of light. However, there is no concrete evidence to support these theories, and they would likely contradict fundamental laws of physics. Additionally, most cosmology ideas are not significantly affected by the speed of gravity, making it difficult to test and validate these theories.
  • #1
Bill Minerick
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Are there any theories based upon Dark Matter (DM) being a precursor or sublayer or ground state to Observable Matter (OM)? Pre-Big Bang? Galaxy distribution linked to DM tendril intersections is consistent with DM providing a pre-existing structure.

Any theories based upon DM interactions being able to occur faster than the speed of light since DM only interacts with OM gravitationally?

Are there experiments which indicate that gravitational effects are limited to the speed of light? If DM gravitational effects are not constrained by "c", wouldn't a lot of cosmology ideas be changed?

Do such theories provide alternative solutions to questions answered by Big Bang, Inflation Theory, Quantum Theory? Maybe DM scale is below Plank size limit.
 
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  • #2
Bill Minerick said:
Are there any theories based upon Dark Matter (DM) being a precursor or sublayer or ground state to Observable Matter (OM)? Pre-Big Bang? Galaxy distribution linked to DM tendril intersections is consistent with DM providing a pre-existing structure.

Ground state? I don't see how. The ground state of a material still interacts through whatever forces it does when it's not in its ground state. The structure of dark matter is the result of gravitational collapse, not a pre-existing structure.

Any theories based upon DM interactions being able to occur faster than the speed of light since DM only interacts with OM gravitationally?

Gravitation is limited to c as well.

Do such theories provide alternative solutions to questions answered by Big Bang, Inflation Theory, Quantum Theory? Maybe DM scale is below Plank size limit.

If your theory breaks a fundamental law of physics, let alone multiple ones, you need to have amazingly good evidence to justify it. Otherwise it doesn't matter if the theory provides answers, as those answers are probably wrong.
 
  • #3
Bill Minerick said:
Are there experiments which indicate that gravitational effects are limited to the speed of light?

There are a few GR experiments, but these is something hard to directly measure. There are lots of theoretical reasons to think that gravity moves at the speed of light.

If DM gravitational effects are not constrained by "c", wouldn't a lot of cosmology ideas be changed?

If DM gravitational effects weren't constrained by "c", there would be some changes, but surprisingly few ones. Most of the effects of dark matter end up being pressure effects, which means that if you set "c=infinity" there are relatively few changes. Everything is controlled by the speed of sound which is much lower than then speed of gravity.

One common approximation that people make in cosmology is to set "speed of light=infinity". It turns out that this approximation doesn't change very much, since the speed of gravity doesn't cause many observational differences.

This is the flip side to the first answer. If the speed of gravity makes a big difference, we can do an experiment. If it turns out that it's hard to do an experiment to measure the speed of gravity, that means that's it's not going to have much practical effect.

Do such theories provide alternative solutions to questions answered by Big Bang, Inflation Theory, Quantum Theory? Maybe DM scale is below Plank size limit.

The trouble we have are too many alternatives. The hard part is not assuming this new weird thing about DM, but showing it this is wrong.
 

1. What is Dark Matter?

Dark Matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up about 85% of the total matter in the universe. It does not emit or absorb light, making it invisible to telescopes and other instruments used to study the universe.

2. Why is Dark Matter considered a possible ground state for all matter?

One theory suggests that Dark Matter is the most basic form of matter, sometimes referred to as a "ground state." This means that all other forms of matter, including the visible matter that makes up stars and galaxies, are made up of particles that are formed from or interact with Dark Matter particles.

3. How is Dark Matter different from regular matter?

Dark Matter is fundamentally different from regular matter in that it does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It also does not interact with the strong or weak nuclear forces, which are responsible for holding atoms together. This means that Dark Matter particles can pass through other matter without being affected, making it difficult to detect.

4. What evidence supports the idea of Dark Matter as a ground state for all matter?

Scientists have observed the effects of Dark Matter on the rotation of galaxies, the bending of light in gravitational lensing, and the distribution of matter in the universe. These observations indicate that there is more mass present in the universe than can be accounted for by visible matter, leading to the theory of Dark Matter as a ground state for all matter.

5. How is the search for Dark Matter being conducted?

Scientists are using a variety of methods to search for Dark Matter, including particle accelerators, underground detectors, and astronomical observations. So far, no conclusive evidence for Dark Matter has been found, but research and experiments continue in the hopes of solving this mysterious aspect of the universe.

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