Astronomers have long hypothesized the existence of dark matter, an invisible form of matter that accounts for around 85% of the mass in galaxies. Its nature remains mysterious.
A new study from Chinese astronomers suggests that dark matter could exist in the form of giant “rogue waves” or solitons of ultralight particles that pass through galaxies.
These dark matter solitons would be completely invisible but have huge size, acting as rogue waves through the galaxy on a quantum scale.
Though imperceptible, the solitons’ gravity could subtly alter the gravitational environment around wide binary star systems as they pass by.
The study proposes that carefully monitoring binary stars for subtle changes in their orbits over time could reveal evidence of dark matter solitons passing through. This could give insights into dark matter’s true nature.
If binary stars start drifting apart in a way not explainable by normal forces, it could indicate the gravitational influence of invisible dark matter solitons disrupting their orbits as they wash through the galaxy.
Source: LiveScience
