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Is there any indication, such as through gravitational lensing, that dark matter has a low-mass compared to visible matter?
I meant in the first case. Does gravitational lensing indicate anything, one way or another?Orodruin said:Are you referring to the dark matter particle mass or the total mass of dark matter?
Micro-lensing rules out some range of masses for quite massive objects such as primordial black holes. When it comes to fundamental particle candidates, it does not.Ranku said:I meant in the first case. Does gravitational lensing indicate anything, one way or another?
Ranku said:Is there any indication, such as through gravitational lensing, that dark matter has a low-mass compared to visible matter?
I mean in terms of comparable volumes of visible and dark matter - although not sure how practically feasible it is to compare between volumes.Vanadium 50 said:I think you need to clarify this question. How much are we talking about? A kilogram of each weighs the same, no?
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is thought to make up approximately 85% of the total matter in the universe. It is called "dark" because it does not interact with light and therefore cannot be seen directly. Its existence is inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter. Understanding dark matter is important because it plays a crucial role in the structure and evolution of the universe.
The mass of dark matter is determined through various methods, such as gravitational lensing, galaxy rotation curves, and the cosmic microwave background. These methods measure the gravitational effects of dark matter on visible matter and use mathematical models to estimate its mass.
There are several lines of evidence that suggest the existence of low-mass dark matter. One is the observed rotation curves of galaxies, which show that there is more mass present than can be accounted for by visible matter. Another is the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background, which indicate the presence of cold dark matter particles. Additionally, simulations of the evolution of the universe support the existence of low-mass dark matter.
The mass of dark matter has a significant impact on the formation of galaxies. It provides the gravitational pull necessary to form and maintain the large-scale structures of the universe, such as galaxies and galaxy clusters. The distribution of dark matter also influences the distribution of visible matter, as it acts as a scaffolding for the formation of galaxies.
The existence of low-mass dark matter may have implications for particle physics, as it could potentially be made up of new, yet undiscovered particles. Studying the properties of dark matter can provide insights into the fundamental nature of matter and the laws of physics. It also presents a potential avenue for further exploration and discovery in the field of particle physics.