X-rays of a specific wavelength emanating from the hearts of galaxies and galaxy clusters could be signs of dark matter particles, according to two independent teams of astronomers whose work has been featured in the journal The Astrophysical. Journal .
For decades, astronomers and astrophysicists have been convinced that a kind of mysterious dark matter is what must provide the gravity that makes the galaxies that form a cluster are gathered together and not scattered through space, thanks to the gravitational attraction that occurs between them. However, scientists do not know what kind of dark matter it is. Dark matter is not observable, it does not interact with light, it does not shine or absorb light, but its gravitational effects are present .
Now, thanks to reports from a team from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center of Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the University of Leiden (Holland) based on data from one of the most accurate observatories in space, the X-ray Multi- ESA’s Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton), there is talk of possible signs of dark matter particles . These dark matter particles have been found in the Andromeda galaxy and the Perseus cluster .
The two teams of researchers have claimed that this X-ray energy does not correspond to any known X-ray energy and could therefore come from dark matter particles . Both teams agreed on their results despite using completely different data sets, as the Leiden team focused on the exterior of the Perseus cluster to begin with and the Harvard team at the center.
Is it too early to conclude that what these scientists have seen is a glimpse of dark matter? It can be but fortunately these results are going to be tested (and hopefully confirmed) by a new satellite. The Astro-H mission , a project of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, scheduled for launch in 2015 , will be equipped with much more powerful devices that will shed light on whether it is finally an unambiguous signal of dark matter.
