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hkyriazi
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I was wondering if studies of individual galaxies predict the same amount and distribution of dark matter as do studies of galactic super-clusters.
Well, in reality, different galaxies have different amounts and distributions of dark matter among one another, so no, you're not going to get the same amount or distribution.hkyriazi said:I was wondering if studies of individual galaxies predict the same amount and distribution of dark matter as do studies of galactic super-clusters.
I don't think it's quite that simple. Rather, the larger the system is, the easier it is to simulate on the computer, and the more observations match those simulations. The basic problem here is that the properties of galaxies depend critically upon the behavior of normal matter, and the tight interactions of normal matter are exceedingly difficult to calculate. But larger systems like clusters are less dependent on those interactions, and better accord with the approximate calculations we are able to do.hkyriazi said:Thanks, Chalnoth. What I meant was, do the distributions and amounts of hidden mass one must postulate to get individual galaxies right, translate immediately into the proper amounts to get the superclusters right? Or is there additional hidden mass, far outside individual galaxies, that must be postulated in order to get those same galaxies clustering together correctly?
Yes, but galaxies aren't terribly homogeneous: they tend to have rather different amounts and distributions of dark matter. The galaxy rotation curves, for instance, tend to be all over the place.hkyriazi said:I thought dark matter was needed to explain why galaxy outer arms move at about the same velocity as the inner parts, when normally they'd have to move much slower to stay in "orbit." I don't know what the situation is with super-clusters. Are you saying that the motions of galaxies within super-clusters can be explained without the need to postulate dark matter?
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that makes up approximately 85% of the total matter in the universe. It does not interact with light and therefore cannot be seen directly, but its presence can be inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter.
Dark matter is thought to play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of galaxies and super-clusters. Its gravitational pull helps to hold these structures together, as well as influencing their shape and distribution.
There are multiple lines of evidence that support the presence of dark matter in galaxies, including the observed rotation curves of galaxies, gravitational lensing, and the distribution of matter in galaxy clusters.
Similar to galaxies, the gravitational effects of dark matter can be observed in the distribution and motion of super-clusters. Additionally, the large-scale structure of the universe, as seen in the cosmic microwave background radiation, also supports the presence of dark matter in super-clusters.
Scientists use various methods such as gravitational lensing, spectroscopy, and computer simulations to study the effects of dark matter on galaxies and super-clusters. They also look for indirect evidence, such as the interactions between dark matter and normal matter, to better understand its properties.