Astronomers looked at Einstein’s rings and realized something important. This is the next step in dark matter

A major role in this regard can be played by the so-called Einstein rings. These types of objects form when there is such an alignment between the observer and their target that the phenomenon of gravitational lensing occurs. The first such observations were made already at the end of the last century, and in recent years there have certainly been more of them.

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On the other hand, dark matter is hypothetical at the moment, because we lack direct evidence that could confirm its existence. However, we can say with a high degree of probability that something has happened, because it exerts a gravitational influence on the matter that can be seen.

Einstein’s rings may form through a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing

Einstein’s rings may help identify dark matter. The research on this matter was led by Alfred Amroth of the University of Hong Kong, and the results of the analyzes we read in natural astronomy. The fact that dark matter can account for up to 85% of the mass of the universe is the best evidence of how important additional research advances are. So we’re not talking about something that plays a secondary role in our performance – quite the opposite.

So far, candidates for dark matter particles include relatively heavy particles called WIMPs and very light axions. The former can behave as discrete particles, while the latter must resemble waves generated by quantum interference.

In search of answers about the nature of dark matter, scientists have turned their attention to Einstein’s rings. These are formed when light passes through the universe through a massive object, such as a galaxy. Then its trajectory becomes curved because the massive body’s gravity warps space and time around it. In practice, this means that when observing a distant galaxy, we can see distorted images of galaxies farther away.

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By analyzing how warped Einstein’s rings are, researchers can better understand the properties of the dark matter halo surrounding these galaxies. In the case of the mentioned studies, the authors were particularly interested in the system named HS 0810+2554. The researchers performed modeling in which they considered two different scenarios. The first assumed that dark matter consists of WIMPs, and the second – from axions. a result? The second option was much better and seemed to match the actual notes. Of course, this is not yet 100% certain about the particles that make up dark matter. However, in my opinion, the results obtained may be groundbreaking, and we may have just found ourselves at a turning point when it comes to unraveling the secrets of the universe.