For the first time, astronomers have clearly seen the effects of "dark energy" on the most massive collapsed objects in the universe using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. By tracking how dark energy has stifled the growth of galaxy clusters and combining this with previous studies, scientists have obtained the best clues yet about what dark energy is and what the destiny of the universe could be.
This work, which took years to complete, is separate from other methods of dark energy research such as supernovas. These new X-ray results provide a crucial independent test of dark energy, long sought by scientists, which depends on how gravity competes with accelerated expansion in the growth of cosmic structures. Techniques based on distance measurements, such as supernova work, do not have this special sensitivity.
Scientists think dark energy is a form of repulsive gravity that now dominates the universe, although they have no clear picture of what it actually is. Understanding the nature of dark energy is one of the biggest problems in science. Possibilities include the cosmological constant, which is equivalent to the energy of empty space. Other possibilities include a modification in general relativity on the largest scales, or a more general physical field.
To help decide between these options, a new way of looking at dark energy is required. It is accomplished by observing how cosmic acceleration affects the growth of galaxy clusters over time.
"This result could be described as 'arrested development of the universe'," said Alexey Vikhlinin of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., who led the research. "Whatever is forcing the expansion of the universe to speed up is also forcing its development to slow down."
Vikhlinin and his colleagues used Chandra to observe the hot gas in dozens of galaxy clusters, which are the largest collapsed objects in the universe. Some of these clusters are relatively close and others are more than halfway across the universe.
Chandra X-ray Image The results show the increase in mass of the galaxy clusters over time aligns with a universe dominated by dark energy. It is more difficult for objects like galaxy clusters to grow when space is stretched, as caused by dark energy. Vikhlinin and his team see this effect clearly in their data. The results are remarkably consistent with those from the distance measurements, revealing general relativity applies, as expected, on large scales.
"For years, scientists have wanted to start testing how gravity works on large scales and now, we finally have," said William Forman, a co-author of the study from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. "This is a test that general relativity could have failed."
When combined with other clues -- supernovas, the study of the cosmic microwave background, and the distribution of galaxies -- this new X-ray result gives scientists the best insight to date on the properties of dark energy.
The study strengthens the evidence that dark energy is the cosmological constant. Although it is the leading candidate to explain dark energy, theoretical work suggests it should be about 10 raised to the power of 120 times larger than observed. Therefore, alternatives to general relativity, such as theories involving hidden dimensions, are being explored.
"Putting all of this data together gives us the strongest evidence yet that dark energy is the cosmological constant, or in other words, that 'nothing weighs something'," said Vikhlinin. "A lot more testing is needed, but so far Einstein's theory is looking as good as ever."
These results have consequences for predicting the ultimate fate of the universe. If dark energy is explained by the cosmological constant, the expansion of the universe will continue to accelerate, and the Milky Way and its neighbor galaxy, Andromeda, never will merge with the Virgo cluster. In that case, about a hundred billion years from now, all other galaxies ultimately would disappear from the Milky Way's view and, eventually, the local superclusters of galaxies also would disintegrate.
The work by Vikhlinin and his colleagues will be published in two separate papers in the Feb. 10 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
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SandustanBrasov
The heavenly embodied world together with the heavenly unembodied world or free spirits- they had created and spreated- us on all the Earth surface, they had mixed- us and raised ones against another; they created us at a certain moment certain problems on which we must solve for can exist as terrestrial embodied beings, for gain our experience and our world personality.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
The dust of subatomic particles resulted after the collisions in LHC are particles of ethereal matter, even that the physicists give not them permission of existence! The electrical discharge to one Tesla coil was made and in a basin with water. Great was the surprise that the electrical discharge of the particles of electrical ether in water has the same ARBORESCENT SHAPE - proving the existence, and in water of the primary ethereal gravitational field.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
From 1967 I analyse with attention all published experiments concerning the accelerators of particles and the controlled thermonuclear fusion, moreover and the scriptural and paleoastronautical information. I had made only a logical and rational synthesis of the applied science, therefore my brothers- you block not the your sites and my computer. Please you to support me, how long, I still can produce such information.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
Now, were collided particles in LHC and you seen that is nothimg: none Higgs boson, none Big-Bang, neither black holes, but only thousands of shards of ethereal particles.Therefore, now -return you physicists from your distraction at Isaac Newton with his universal attraction law= THE UNIFIED LAW OF THE MATTERS AND FORCES, at the eliminated ETHER by Einstein, at the unseen world of the ethereal and spiritual matters which fill up the Cosmos, and return you at the Lord- at God!
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
The physicists show that about the discovery the Higgs boson it desire and the discovery the origins of the bodies'mass; the discovery the dark matter, the discovery the superior dimensions and the demonstration of the superposition. But as a result to the collisions of particles- the black holes had appeared not, the Big-Bang had appeared not demonstrating that the Large Hadron Collider bring not about us the Apocalipse.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
It say: with the exception of the Higgs boson all the predicted particles of Standard Model were detected and the them properties were measured with precision. The Standard Model of particles to arrived let be verified, but, if the Higgs boson is not finded, then the Standard Model and the others models will be necessary to be reconstruct from zero.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
In 1964 physicist Peter Higgs has thinked existence to one energetic field which penetrate whole Universe, and named it "Higgs field" and his particles named "Higgs boson"and that these can give mass the subatomic particles.Thus appear the necessity as in the CERN-frame let it construct an accelerator more big: the LARGE HADRON COLLIDER,which made the first collisions of particles in 14 December 2009, afterwards in 2010, in 2011 and they uncovered not the Higgs boson particles
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
The movement of the celestial bodies in Cosmos demonstrates that these it can not maintain in the existent formation if not would exist and another matter which let complete and fill up the Cosmos. And this unknown matter, which is the eliminated ETHER- they named she: dark matter and dark energy, which is in proportion of 96% from the Cosmos's mass.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
Already the protons, neutrons and electrons are formed through condensation and concentration of the etehreal particles. But how the ETHER has eliminated from physics, the physicists had invented the Standard Model of the particles and them forces excluding the gravity. Thus for to comprise and the gravity with her particles and forces they had invented and the strings theory.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago
• SandustanBrasov
The materials seem to be complicated and irregular at the sight with the free eye. But at microscope they it show simple and orderly. All the material shapes: animal. vegetal and mineral are made from atoms and these only from three constituents: protons, neutrons and electrons. The photon of light we see it and the photon of heat we feel it, but the ethereal particles are more small, of a few thousands time; we see not them now, but the our spirits see them.
sandustanBrasov 1 month ago