Quasars & Antimatter: Evidence of Abundance?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of antimatter being more plentiful near the far edges of the universe and its potential role in explaining the high energy levels observed in distant galaxies. This idea is based on the belief that quasars, particularly high-energy gamma emitters, may produce antimatter through relativistic jets emitting Hawking radiation. However, there is no evidence to support this theory and it goes against our current understanding of the universe.
  • #1
thebaron
5
0
We know it is implausible that the local observable universe contains a near-balanced distribution of matter and antimatter because we fail to observe predicted anomalies of high-energy radiation brought about by spontaneous annihilation from matter-antimatter collisions on the borders of such antimatter regions. However, what about quasars, particularly high-energy gamma emitters? We may surmise that yes, this radiation is brought about by relativistic jets emitting Hawking radiation. But shouldn't the necessarily quantum nature of their production require at least some of this radiation to be composed of antimatter, at least in larger quantities than we observe locally? Combined with the fact we observe these severaly redshifted objects so far away, could we percieve this as evidence that antimatter may be more plentiful near the far fringes of the universe?
 
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  • #2
Or perhaps a better articulation of what I mean is (tl;dr): could antimatter explain the ridiculous levels of energy we see in very distant and very active galaxies, and therefore account for a portion of very distant dark matter?
 
  • #3
gravity is surprisingly good at producing 'ridiculous' amounts of energy without any help from antimatter.

quasars would be more likely to produce antimatter than consume it, in my unstudied opinion.
 
  • #4
Yes, that is what I am saying. And antimatter-matter collisions on the border of these areas would emit the kind of energies we see.
 
  • #5
thebaron said:
And antimatter-matter collisions on the border of these areas would emit the kind of energies we see.

Do you have any evidence for this? This sounds very unlikely to me - virtually everything would be different. The spectrum would be much harder, the durations would be much shorter, the area of emission would be more diffuse, and you wouldn't get jets.
 

1. What are quasars and how are they related to antimatter?

Quasars are extremely bright, distant objects in space that emit large amounts of energy. They are thought to be powered by supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. Antimatter, on the other hand, is a type of matter that has the opposite properties of regular matter, such as having a negative charge instead of a positive charge. Quasars are not directly related to antimatter, but they can provide evidence of its abundance in the universe.

2. How do we know that there is an abundance of antimatter in the universe?

Scientists have observed that when matter and antimatter come into contact, they annihilate each other and release large amounts of energy. This process can be seen in the form of gamma-ray bursts, which are highly energetic explosions in space. These bursts are thought to be caused by collisions between matter and antimatter particles, providing evidence of the abundance of antimatter in the universe.

3. What role do quasars play in studying antimatter?

Quasars can act as powerful sources of light, allowing us to study the properties of matter and antimatter particles in the universe. By analyzing the light emitted from quasars, scientists can determine the composition of matter in the universe and search for signs of antimatter. Additionally, quasars can help us understand the formation and evolution of galaxies, which can also provide insights into the abundance of antimatter.

4. Can we create antimatter in a laboratory?

Yes, scientists have been able to create small amounts of antimatter in laboratory settings. However, it requires a significant amount of energy and is currently not a practical method for producing large quantities of antimatter. The most common method of creating antimatter is through particle accelerators, which accelerate particles to near the speed of light and then collide them to produce antimatter.

5. What implications does the abundance of antimatter have for our understanding of the universe?

The abundance of antimatter raises questions about the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe. According to current theories, the Big Bang should have produced equal amounts of matter and antimatter, but we observe a universe dominated by matter. This suggests that there may be unknown processes or interactions that led to the imbalance between matter and antimatter. Further research on quasars and other phenomena can help us gain a better understanding of this mystery and the origin of the universe.

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