question of the origin of the universe, its past and future troubled people since time immemorial.For centuries, the theory emerged and disproved, offering a picture of the world, based on known data.Thorough shock to the scientific world was the theory of relativity.She has made an enormous contribution to the understanding of the processes that shape the universe.However, the theory of relativity could not claim to be the ultimate truth, which does not require any amendments were.Improving technologies have allowed astronomers to make previously unthinkable discoveries, which required a new theoretical framework, or a major expansion of the existing provisions.One of these phenomena has become a dark matter.But first things first.
Cases of bygone days
to understand the term "dark matter" back to the beginning of the last century.While dominated view of the universe as a stationary structure.Meanwhile, the general theory of relativity (GTR) suggests that sooner or later will lead to the attractive force "blocking" of space objects in a single coil, there will be the so-called gravitational collapse.Between space objects do not exist forces of repulsion.Mutual attraction is compensated by centrifugal forces to create a permanent movement of the stars, planets and other bodies.Thus the equilibrium of the system is maintained.
In order to prevent the collapse of the theoretical universe, Einstein introduced a cosmological constant - a value system leading to the desired steady state, but actually invented that has no obvious reason.
Expanding Universe
calculations and discoveries Friedmann and Hubble showed no need to break the slender equations of general relativity with a new constant.It has been proven, and today this fact almost no one doubts that the universe is expanding, it was once the beginning and the stationarity of speech can not go.Further development of cosmology has led to the big bang theory.The main proof of the new assumptions - the observed increase over time, the distance between galaxies.That measurement of the rate of removal from each other adjacent space systems and led to the formation of the hypothesis that there is dark matter and dark energy.
data are not consistent with the theory
Fritz Zwicky in 1931, and later Jan Oort in 1932 and 1960 were engaged in counting the weight of the substance of galaxies in distant clusters and the relations it at the speed of removing them from each other.From time to time, scientists have come to the same conclusion: the number of such substances is not enough to create their gravity could not hold together galaxies moving at such high speeds.Zwicky and Oort hypothesized that there is a hidden mass dark matter of the universe, does not allow space objects scatter in different directions.
However, the hypothesis of the scientific world has been recognized only in the seventies, after the announcement of the results of Vera Rubin.She built the rotation curves that demonstrate the dependence of the velocity of matter from galaxy distance that separates it from the center of the system.Contrary to the theoretical assumption was that the speed of the stars as the distance from the galactic center is not reduced, but increased.To explain such behavior of light could only be the presence of a galaxy halos of dark matter that fills.Astronomy is thus faced with a completely unexplored part of the universe.
properties and composition
this kind of dark matter called because it can not be seen by any existing methods.Her presence is recognized on circumstantial evidence: the dark matter creates gravitational field is not entirely radiating electromagnetic waves.
most important task that has arisen before the scientists, was to obtain an answer to the question of what is in this matter.Astrophysicists have tried to "fill" its usual baryon matter (baryonic matter is made up of more or less studied protons, neutrons and electrons).In the dark halos of galaxies included compact low emissivity stars like brown dwarfs and massive, close to the mass of the planet Jupiter.However, these assumptions do not withstand scrutiny.Baryonic matter, familiar and known, thus, can not play a significant role in the hidden mass of galaxies.Today
search of unknown components involved in physics.Practical research scientists based on the theory of supersymmetry microcosm, according to which each known particle there is a supersymmetric steam.That is they who make up dark matter.However, evidence of the existence of these particles is not able to obtain, perhaps, the case of the near future.
Dark energy
discovery of a new type of matter did not end there surprises that prepared the universe scientists.In 1998, astrophysicists presented another chance to compare these theories with the facts.This year was marked by the explosion of a supernova in a galaxy far away.Astronomers have measured the distance to it, and very surprised to received data: star flared up much further than it should have been according to existing theory.It was found that the rate of expansion of the universe increases with time: it is now much higher than it was 14 billion years ago, when presumably there was a big explosion.
is known to accelerate the movement of the body, it is necessary to transfer energy.The force that causes the universe to expand rapidly became known as dark energy.This is no less a part of the mysterious space than dark matter.We only know that it is characterized by a uniform distribution throughout the universe, and its impact can be registered only in the vast cosmic distances.
Again cosmological constant
Dark energy has shaken the big bang theory.Part of the scientific world is skeptical about the possibility of such a substance, and caused her to speed up expansion.Some astrophysicists are trying to revive the forgotten Einstein's cosmological constant, which is again from the category of a great scientific error may go in the number of working hypotheses.Her presence in the equations of creating anti-gravity, leading to the acceleration of the expansion.However, some consequences of the presence of the cosmological constant is inconsistent with observations.
Today, dark matter and dark energy that make up most of the matter in the universe - to puzzle scientists.The unequivocal answer to the question of their nature there.Moreover, it may not last the mystery that keeps us from space.Dark matter and energy can be a prelude to new discoveries that could revolutionize our idea of the structure of the universe.
