The search for Dark matter continues without much success. Now scientists are using elaborate computer calculations to gauge the outline of the particles of this strange but unknown form of matter. Researchers lead by Professor Zoltán Fodor of the University of Wuppertal, Eötvös University in Budapest has extended the Standard Model of particle physics which enabled them to predict the mass of the so-called axioms which could be promising candidates for dark matter. The calculations were carried out on Jülich’s supercomputer JUQUEEN.
Dark Matter which comprises about 85% of all the matter in the universe is invisible and can be inferred only by its gravitational effects. Evidence of dark matter also comes from astrophysical observation of the galaxies, which are rotating far too rapidly to be held together by the gravitational attraction of visible matter. Observation by European satellite “Planck” now confirms that 85% of the entire mass of the whole universe is made up Dark matter and all the stars, planets, nebulae and other visible objects in the universe account for just 15% matter.
Dark matter is not dark but its interaction with photons is feeble, and it does not give off radiations of other wavelengths also. The particle must lie somewhere beyond the realms of Standard Model of particle physics which describe only 15 of the matter in the universe. Scientists are now trying to deduce logical extensions of the Standard Model to get a deeper understanding of the universe and understand in what energy range it must probe to find the dark matter.
This unknown form of matter could be in the shape of a few but massive particles or a large number of light ones. Scientists are trying to directly find the dark matter particles directly using large detectors in laboratories deep underground or indirectly using large particle accelerators. However, the search for the elusive particle has not succeeded.
