For over ten years, scientists have been baffled by an intense, high-energy glow emanating from the Milky Way’s heart. This mysterious excess of gamma rays couldn’t be explained by any known cosmic sources nearby. However, groundbreaking new computer simulations are offering a potential solution: the dark matter surrounding galactic centers might not be spherical, but rather flattened.
A Disk-Shaped Dark Matter Halo Could Solve the Gamma-Ray Puzzle
Published in Physical Review Letters on October 16, these new findings suggest that if dark matter were arranged in a disc-like shape, it could produce a radiation pattern identical to what has been observed. This exciting revelation breathes new life into a long-debated theory that directly links dark matter to the Milky Way’s luminous central glow.
The research, spearheaded by Moorits Mihkel Muru from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam in collaboration with the University of Tartu in Estonia, utilized advanced HESTIA simulations. These simulations were designed to meticulously model how dark matter behaves under the complex influence of galactic forces. The results clearly indicate that past cosmic mergers and powerful gravitational interactions could have molded dark matter into this flattened configuration. Crucially, this shape precisely matches the gamma-ray signature recorded by NASA’s Fermi space telescope, which has consistently detected this inexplicable high-energy light for years.
This innovative study challenges conventional assumptions, particularly the notion that gamma rays are solely a product of millisecond pulsars colliding. Instead, it proposes that the unique geometry of dark matter itself could be the primary cause of this extraordinary galactic radiance.
The researchers emphasize that the dark matter in our galaxy is far from a uniformly spherical distribution; it is likely much more dynamic. This variability is attributed to the powerful galactic torques, such as those generated by the stellar spheroid within our galaxy. Future observations from advanced observatories will be crucial to gather more evidence, helping astronomers better understand dark matter interactions and pulsars, and ultimately, revealing the true nature of dark matter.
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