Is a galaxy's halo displaced dark matter?

In summary, scientists have recently discovered a galaxy, NGC1052-DF2, that appears to have no dark matter. This discovery challenges the previously held belief that all galaxies contain dark matter. Theories have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, such as the possibility that the galaxy is too diffuse to displace the dark matter and create a halo, or that the galaxy is not well-defined enough to form a halo. There is an ongoing discussion on this topic in a thread on the Physics Forums.
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Mike Johnson
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Scientists Thought All Galaxies Had Dark Matter, but They Just Found One Without It


Could dark matter fill 'empty' space, strongly interact with visible matter and be displaced by visible matter?

Could the reason for the mistaken notion the galaxy is missing dark matter is that the galaxy is so diffuse that it doesn't displace the dark matter outward and away from the galaxy to the degree that the dark matter is able to push back and cause the stars far away from the galactic center to speed up?

What if it's not that there is no dark matter connected to and neighboring the visible matter; it's that the galaxy is not well defined enough to displace the dark matter to such an extent that it forms a 'halo' around the galaxy?

Could a galaxy's halo be displaced dark matter and these types of galaxies are not coalesced enough to displace the dark matter into forming a halo?
 
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1. What is a galaxy's halo?

A galaxy's halo refers to the spherical region surrounding a galaxy that is made up of stars, gas, and dark matter. It can extend beyond the visible boundaries of a galaxy and is thought to play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of galaxies.

2. What is displaced dark matter?

Displaced dark matter refers to dark matter particles that have been moved or shifted away from their original location in a galaxy's halo. This displacement can occur due to interactions with other galaxies or through the merging of smaller halos.

3. How is a galaxy's halo related to dark matter?

A galaxy's halo is primarily made up of dark matter, which makes up about 85% of the total matter in the universe. Dark matter is thought to play a crucial role in the formation and stability of galaxies, including the formation of their halos.

4. What evidence supports the existence of displaced dark matter in a galaxy's halo?

Scientists have observed the gravitational effects of dark matter on visible matter in galaxies, such as the rotation of stars and gas. However, these observations do not always match the expected distribution of dark matter in a galaxy's halo, suggesting that some of it may have been displaced.

5. How does the displacement of dark matter in a galaxy's halo affect our understanding of the universe?

The displacement of dark matter in a galaxy's halo can provide valuable insights into the nature and behavior of this mysterious substance. It can also help us understand the formation and evolution of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe.

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