There isn't enough visible matter in the universe to account for the gravitational force that holds galaxies together as they rotate. For decades, scientists have searched for evidence of the missing "dark matter" that makes it possible. Now, one researcher says that we should instead be looking for galactic-scale electric fields.
Over the decades, astrophysicists have proposed several candidates for dark matter, which they say accounts for nearly 85% of the mass of the universe, including: sterile neutrinos, WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particles), WIMPZILLAs, brown dwarfs and gravitinos. Another hypothetical dark matter particle, axions, might have recently been detected, though it could take years to confirm the discovery.
And now, we have another theory to add to the dark matter menagerie. Physicist Steve Reucroft has published a paper arguing that electrostatic forces could be preventing galaxies from flying apart. He suggests that the extreme activity at the center of a galaxy is bound to propel electrons, and other negatively charged particles, towards the outer regions. This would give the galactic core a net positive electric charge, while the outskirts would become negatively charged. "In fact it is quite implausible that the core should remain electrically neutral," he says.
Reucroft specifically addresses the question of how much of a charge would be required to generate the force capable of holding a galaxy together. As the Physics arXiv Blog explains:
The answer is approximately 10^31 Coulombs at the core and an equal and opposite charge distributed throughout the galactic periphery. That is a significant amount of charge given that the definition of a Coulomb is the charge transported by a constant current of one ampere per second.
However, Reucroft says that on a galactic scale, this amount of charge is relatively little. He calculates that it would be equal to less than one part in 10^17 of the available charge in the galactic core. "It corresponds to one free proton for every ~10^11 cubic meters of galactic core volume," he says.
At the Solar System's location, that would produce a galactic electric field of approximately 1 volt per meter — an effect that would presumably be observable in ways other than on the orbits of stars, although Reucroft does not suggest how.
That's a provocative idea that offers an interesting alternative to dark matter. But it is also one that needs more work to produce some testable hypotheses.
Astronomers might also want to know how this electric field could influence the orbit of stars unless the stars themselves are negatively charged. For that, theorists will need to come up with a convincing charging mechanism.
http://io9.com/what-if-dark-matter-is-a ... 1654048323
What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
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kiwi
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What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Hey there's an "idea" ... said Plato to Schroedingers Cat , Barry
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gocrew
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Oh, you just beat me to it! I was just about to post this.
They are inching closer to EU. The electric field is not, of course, caused by throwing electrons to the fringes, but rather by Birkeland currents. Still, they are working their way there.
They are inching closer to EU. The electric field is not, of course, caused by throwing electrons to the fringes, but rather by Birkeland currents. Still, they are working their way there.
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Maol
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
E=mc2 ergo m = E/c2
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kiwi
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Weber --------> 2e[2] / MeC[2]Maol wrote:E=mc2 ergo m = E/c2
The distance below which two electrons may not approach ....
- Rosphere
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
And I this:gocrew wrote:Oh, you just beat me to it! I was just about to post this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR_b_0SMXk8
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Morphix
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Maol
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Electrons are not the only E in the Universe.kiwi wrote:Weber --------> 2e[2] / MeC[2]Maol wrote:E=mc2 ergo m = E/c2
The distance below which two electrons may not approach ....
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Bengt Nyman
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
We have been taught to associate gravity with mass. If we are looking for a missing source of gravity, or attraction, we therefore look for mass. However, knowing that gravity is caused by a complex interaction of electrostatic forces there is no reason to restrict our search to mass. There is also no reason to restrict our search to dark matter or dark mass. The additional attraction is most likely caused by dark energy. See the recent forum subject about The Black Hole, the heart of the galaxy.Physicist Steve Reucroft has published a paper arguing that electrostatic forces could be preventing galaxies from flying apart.
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Zendo
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
There is major issues with dark matter data and theory in the first place.
I'd like to point you to a recent talk by Pavel Kroupa:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPVGDXNSBZM
When you look at observations you just don't see what you expected to see if dark matter was actually something at all. Frankly based on this it seems that dark matter is just another fairy tale to patch up a broken standard model of cosmology.
I'd like to point you to a recent talk by Pavel Kroupa:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPVGDXNSBZM
When you look at observations you just don't see what you expected to see if dark matter was actually something at all. Frankly based on this it seems that dark matter is just another fairy tale to patch up a broken standard model of cosmology.
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Bengt Nyman
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Quite possible, however, don't give up yet. Turn your attention from dark matter (with mass) to dark energy dipoles (without perceivable mass) as carriers of electrostatic attraction.Zendo wrote: Frankly based on this it seems that dark matter is just another fairy tale to patch up a broken standard model of cosmology.
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Rossim
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
When you say dark energy, are you referring to the classical definition of dark energy which accelerates the expansion of the universe? If not, I'd suggest inventing a new term to avoid confusion.
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Bengt Nyman
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
For now, yes.Rossim wrote:When you say dark energy, are you referring to the classical definition of dark energy which accelerates the expansion of the universe?
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kiwi
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Yes I understand that thanksMaol wrote:Electrons are not the only E in the Universe.kiwi wrote:Weber --------> 2e[2] / MeC[2]Maol wrote:E=mc2 ergo m = E/c2
The distance below which two electrons may not approach ....
I cannot connect the dots myself,... or be wholly sure there are actually dots to be connected
Maxwell’s dismissal of what he did not understand, increasingly took on
the character of ignorant prejudice. There was nothing original in his idea
of an ether as the transmitting medium of electromagnetic action. Had
Gauss seen a clear solution through such a mode of representation, he
would have developed it. There was none, as the glaring failure of
Maxwell’s theory to even account for the existence of the electron ought
to indicate.
http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/a ... cience.pdf
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gocrew
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Bengt, Dark Energy is the phantom invented to explain the misperception that the universe is expanding and that this expansion is accelerating. I'm not sure what perspective you are coming from, but you seem to post a lot of stuff that, to EU advocates - as well as orthodox astronomers - is indistinguishable from babble.
I would suggest starting a thread on the appropriate board to explain your ideas, rather than inject them into posts here, where they won't be understood.
I would suggest starting a thread on the appropriate board to explain your ideas, rather than inject them into posts here, where they won't be understood.
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Bengt Nyman
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Re: What If Dark Matter Is Actually A Vast Electric Field?
Hi gocrew,
Since you are not an administrator, believe what you want and speak for yourself. I do not need your advice.
Since you are not an administrator, believe what you want and speak for yourself. I do not need your advice.
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