24/7 Space News
TIME AND SPACE
Researcher explore dark matter's origins in potential dark Big Bang event
The Summer 2023 research group. L to R: Jared Diks '25, Lance Chen '25, Shafaat Mahmud '26, Jillian Paulin '23, Richard Casey '24, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Cosmin Ilie
Reuters Events SMR and Advanced Reactor 2025
Researcher explore dark matter's origins in potential dark Big Bang event
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 20, 2024

Recent findings from Colgate University's Department of Physics and Astronomy have opened up intriguing possibilities about the origins of dark matter, which could reshape current scientific perspectives.

Assistant Professor Cosmin Ilie and senior Richard Casey examined the theory advanced by Katherine Freese and Martin Winkler from the University of Texas at Austin, suggesting dark matter may have originated from a distinct event, a "Dark Big Bang," that occurred after the universe's inception.

Traditionally, it is understood that all matter, including dark matter, emerged from the Big Bang, marking the end of the rapid expansion known as cosmic inflation, where vacuum energy transitioned into a hot plasma teeming with radiation and particles.

Dark matter, making up about 25% of the universe's energy makeup, remains elusive despite indirect evidence observed through its gravitational effects on cosmic structures and its trace in the cosmic microwave background radiation. In 2023, Freese and Winkler proposed that dark matter could stem from a second Big Bang event, separate from the original, triggered by a quantum field decaying in a false metastable vacuum state.

Ilie and Casey's recent research refines this Dark Big Bang hypothesis by delineating scenarios compatible with existing data. Their findings reveal unexplored parameter ranges that could shed light on dark matter's production and predict gravitational waves potentially detectable by upcoming observational efforts.

"Detecting gravitational waves from the Dark Big Bang could offer critical evidence supporting this theory of dark matter," said Ilie. "With projects like the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) nearing operation, we might soon test this model in groundbreaking ways."

The NANOGrav collaboration's 2023 discovery of background gravitational waves, as part of the IPTA, hints at a possible Dark Big Bang occurrence. As more data becomes available, these results may help refine the parameters of this model, potentially confirming it as the source of dark matter.

These insights may not only redefine the narrative of dark matter but also expand the understanding of the universe's early formation and the forces influencing its development. Research continues to unlock the enigmatic nature of dark matter, pushing the boundaries of cosmology.

Related Links
Department of Physics and Astronomy at Colgate University
Understanding Time and Space

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TIME AND SPACE
Astronomers detect ancient lonely quasars with murky origins
Boston MA (SPX) Oct 18, 2024
A quasar is the extremely bright core of a galaxy that hosts an active supermassive black hole at its center. As the black hole draws in surrounding gas and dust, it blasts out an enormous amount of energy, making quasars some of the brightest objects in the universe. Quasars have been observed as early as a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, and it's been a mystery as to how these objects could have grown so bright and massive in such a short amount of cosmic time. Scientists have prop ... read more

TIME AND SPACE
Sierra Space advances certification for LIFE 10 space habitat technology

Aalyria and iSEE join forces to advance space traffic management

AnalySwift aims to transform spacecraft for secondary uses during extended missions

Navigating the Digital Skies: How Adtech is Revolutionizing Space Tourism Marketing

TIME AND SPACE
Arianespace to launch Exotrail's Spacevan on Ariane 6

ESA set to advance European launch services with a Boost!

China tests critical fairing for Long March 10 lunar rocket

SpaceX fails to repeat Starship booster catch, orbiter makes on target splashdown

TIME AND SPACE
Making Mars' Moons: Supercomputers Offer 'Disruptive' New Explanation

Ancient water on Mars suggests potential for past life

Have We Been Searching for Life on Mars in the Wrong Way

Curiosity prepares to leave sulfur stones behind for boxwork exploration

TIME AND SPACE
China inflatable space capsule aces orbital test

Tianzhou 7 completes cargo Mission, Tianzhou 8 docks with Tiangong

Zebrafish thrive in space experiment on China's space station

China's commercial space sector expands as firms outline ambitious plans

TIME AND SPACE
Sidus Space and Reflex Aerospace partner to develop advanced satellite solutions

ESA and Japan expand collaboration in space exploration

Gilmour Space selected to build bus for emissions monitoring satellite

AST SpaceMobile secures launch agreements for global space-based broadband network

TIME AND SPACE
mmt and Quadsat join forces to offer advanced satellite emulation and RF calibration services

Frontgrade Gaisler introduces GR716B for next-generation satellite applications

3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts

Oldest alphabetic writing found in ancient Syrian tomb

TIME AND SPACE
New approach improves models of atmosphere on early Earth, exo-planets

Young transiting planet reshapes theories of planetary formation

Discovery of a young exoplanet illuminates planet formation

SwRI scientists repurpose chemistry modeling software to study life-supporting conditions on icy moons

TIME AND SPACE
Uranus moon Miranda may hold a hidden ocean below its surface

NASA and SpaceX Set for Europa Clipper Launch on October 14

NASA probe Europa Clipper lifts off for Jupiter's icy moon

Is life possible on a Jupiter moon? NASA goes to investigate

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.