The Very Concept of Dark Matter Itself, Questioned in New Research

Dark Matter Concept

Galactic rotation curve models, constructed within a general relativistic framework, could leverage gravitomagnetism to account for the effects of dark matter.

Factoring in Gravitomagnetism Could Do Away With Dark Matter

Models of galactic rotation curves built of a general relativistic framework could use gravitomagnetism to explain the effects of dark matter.

Observations of galactic rotation curves give one of the strongest lines of evidence pointing towards the existence of dark matter, a non-baryonic form of matter that makes up an estimated 85% of the matter in the observable Universe. Current assessments of galactic rotation curves are based upon a framework of Newtonian accounts of gravity, a new paper published in EPJ C, by Gerson Otto Ludwig, National Institute for Space Research, Brazil, suggests that if this is substituted with a general relativity-based model, the need to recourse to dark matter is relieved, replaced by the effects of gravitomagnetism.

The main role of dark matter, Ludwig points out in the paper, has historically been to resolve the disparity between astrophysical observations and current theories of gravity. Put simply, if baryonic matter — the form of matter we see around us every day which is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons — is the only form of matter, then there shouldn’t be enough gravitational force to prevent galaxies from flying apart.

By disregarding general relativistic corrections to Newtonian gravity arising from mass currents, and by neglecting these mass currents, Ludwig asserts these models also miss significant modifications to rotational curves — the orbital speeds of visible stars and gas plotted against their radial distance from their galaxy’s center. This is because of an effect in general relativity not present in Newton’s theory of gravity — frame-dragging or the Lense-Thirring effect. This effect arises when a massive rotating object like a star or black hole ‘drags’ the very fabric of spacetime along with it, in turn giving rise to a gravitomagnetic field.

In this paper, Ludwig presents a new model for the rotational curves of galaxies which is in agreement with previous efforts involving general relativity. The researcher demonstrates that even though the effects of gravitomagnetic fields are weak, factoring them into models alleviates the difference between theories of gravity and observed rotational curves — eliminating the need for dark matter. The theory still needs some development before it is widely accepted, with the author particularly pointing out that the time evolution of galaxies modeled with this framework is a complex problem that will require much deeper analysis.

Ludwig concludes by suggesting that all calculations performed with thin galactic disk models performed up until this point may have to be recalculated, and the very concept of dark matter itself, be questioned.

Reference: “Galactic rotation curve and dark matter according to gravitomagnetism” by G. O. Ludwig, 23 February 2021, The European Physical Journal C.
DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-08967-3

19 Comments on "The Very Concept of Dark Matter Itself, Questioned in New Research"

  1. So, if no dark matter, where does that leave us on gravitational lensing.

  2. Roland Nagtegaal | March 10, 2021 at 7:19 am | Reply

    Or movement of galaxies in clusters, the bullet cluster and many other phenomena currently explained by dark matter. Maybe it is the reporting but it seems to me every time some study explains away the existence of dark matter in some place (galaxies) they totally disregard evidence of it in other places and circumstances.
    On the other hand, if there is so much of it (85% of all mass), and if it is clumpy (not uniformly distributed in the universe), why does it not perturb the movement of Sol’s planets? Why does it not sink to the core of the Sun and make it much denser and thus increase fusion processes? Can it stand still or must it move at lightspeed like neutrinos? Can dark matter move faster than light and backwards in time like speculative particles such as tachyons?
    Are these kind of questions ever asked and investigated?

  3. Another one of a million theories about dark matter that without hard evidence are just as likely as any other, a multitude of which ignores other people’s research in order to ‘prove’ their own. Not real science news in my opinion.

  4. Wasn’t gravitational lensing predicted by general relativity? Wouldn’t dark matter have a further influence on lensing? At this point we have plausible alternatives that we need to consider, and would be more open to, if others hadn’t invested a lifetime in not finding evidence to conclude. Best to be as open as possible at this point.

  5. Abed Peerally | March 10, 2021 at 4:48 pm | Reply

    Actually one cannot do away completely with the implication of the concept of dark matter. Dark matter or its alternative reality must exist. Otherwise one cannot explain the excessive rotation velocities of galaxies. My coming second book to be published in April May 2021 will elaborate on the current concept of dark matter.

  6. I have always thought that dark matter is the 🦄 of astrophysics. It’s good to hear that there is a more scientific explanation for the rotation of galaxies.

  7. I’ve literally been saying dark matter and gravity are the same for a decade…. But I learned it through dmt rather than scientific study.

  8. The fabric of space is a thread tension network.
    Gravity is regular thread Tension: T = mc^2 / L
    Dark Matter is excess threads.
    Solar system has 9 planets.
    Galaxy has billions of stars – like a huge bowl of soup – of course the curves are different.
    http://www.mccelt.com/orbital-intersection-theory.php

  9. Frosted Flake | March 11, 2021 at 1:01 pm | Reply

    Yes! Throw a porcupine at that balloon!

    Not literally, of course. It’s just that ‘dark matter’ and “we don’t know” are equivalent terms. And ‘we don’t know’ may be accurate but it isn’t a theory. So I am ready to look at electrogravity. Who knows. Might get a cool space ship out of the deal.

  10. Caleigh Fisher | March 14, 2021 at 7:32 am | Reply

    If they taught plasma physics as a significant component of astrophysics degrees there would be no mystery about the “galactic disk problem”. Zeta pinch and internal turbulence explains it using well known, physically demonstrated principles.

  11. …well, if an entanglement or Schrödinger’s equation have slight possibility to be visible to us in some awkward sense that we are not able to anticipate, then perhaps…
    …So, aim the telescope to a star and all positions where it should be now, there might be some echos we don’t understand jet…

  12. Bibhutibhusanpatel | March 15, 2021 at 4:29 am | Reply

    Ģalactic rotational curve states presence of dark enrout between calculations and recalculation is in accordance with some basic facts nonconflictingly. Gravitomagnetism is as so presents perpetual contineoùs cyclic process for the galactic gŕowth.

  13. Bibhutibhusanpatel | March 15, 2021 at 4:46 am | Reply

    Galactìc rotational curves cites evidanceof dark matter is true and existance of the same is beyond any question, persisting between calculations and recalculation, is valìd according to some basic facts

  14. How many tomes have I told you no dark matter no evidence for dark matter. No evidence for gravity. Everything’s moving give that a thought. Everything in space blacksphere’s stars planets everything spinning. For universe is spinning and vibrating. Electro-magnetism is the key. Everygalaxie in our cluster came from one Star maybe all the galaxies we can see came from one Star. So all the stars in our galaxie are spinning and hold planets in place. Our blacksphere is spinning and holding the stars in place through out the galaxie. Dark matter is the leftovers from all those events happening it’s just info so we know those events occurred.

  15. You have to also remember that all the matter that’s left out there is a small fraction of what was out there. When you put a time line on the universe you immediately hand cuff your options as to how and whats been happening out in the universe. The big Bang is a theory not a fact and like I said when you handcuff yourself with a timeline you end up changing things to fit instead of looking at what your seeing. That can’t be not enough time well I gots some news for y’all we don’t dictate how long things take to occur the uni does.

  16. Think about all those blacksphere’s out there eating stars and planets we they been doing that for a very long time. The galaxies were probably spinning a lot slower than they are now. With the removal of matter the spin rate should increase and with that the pull from the objects like spheres will increase. Oliptical galaxies probly have less gas and mass then the spiral galaxies. Or the other solution could be oliptical’s are new and haven’t got in line yet but I like the prior.

  17. It’s all a lot of fun to speculate but if it quacks like a duck and it looks like a duck let’s call it a duck lol.

  18. … buja, buuu,
    The dark matter doesn’t exist, the dark energy doesn’t exist, what is this…
    … the cry of physicists in the back would be appropriate sound effect at this hard, hard, hard moment…
    … want some old salt,…

  19. Only wish to modify my comment on this post. My explanations of the ultimate origin and nature of of universe and of consciousness will now be published in February 2022.

Leave a Reply to Lee berry Cancel reply

Email address is optional. If provided, your email will not be published or shared.