Star Clusters Seem To Ignore The Laws of Gravity

Star Clusters: Researchers face a cosmological mystery that could disprove the “dark matter” theory. An international team of astronomers is puzzling over the strange behavior of certain star clusters. Their analysis even challenges Newton’s laws of gravitation, the researchers write in their study. Pavel Kroupa from the Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics at the University of Bonn is in charge. He is regarded as a representative of ” modified Newtonian dynamics “. Star Clusters.

Read More Space Exploration Content.

Star Clusters: An alternative theory to dark matter
“Modified Newtonian dynamics” (MOND) or Milgromian dynamics was proposed in 1983 as an alternative to dark matter. According to the hypothesis, dark matter is not responsible for the higher-than-expected rotation speed of galaxies. Instead, Newton’s law of gravitation is not suitable for extremely large masses of galaxies and must therefore be adjusted. However, the hypothesis is controversially discussed in specialist circles

The researchers now examined so-called open star clusters, which are formed when thousands of stars are born in a huge gas cloud within a short period of time. When they “ignite,” the galactic newcomers blow away what’s left of the gas cloud, expanding the cluster considerably. Only the gravitational forces between the stars hold the cluster together.

Open star clusters defy physics
“Most open star clusters survive only a few hundred million years before they dissolve,” Pavel Kroupa is quoted as saying in a broadcast from the University of Bonn. Because they regularly lose stars, which accumulate in 2 so-called ” tidal arms “. According to Newton’s laws of gravitation, chance decides in which arm a lost star lands. So both arms should contain a similar number of stars.

In their work, however, the researchers were able to prove for the first time that the front arm always contains more stars than the back one. For this purpose, the team developed a new method of counting stars, in which the measurement data from the ESA space mission Gaia played an important role.

Results are consistent with the MOND theory
Instead, the results would agree surprisingly well with the MOND calculations. However, the ” mathematical tools ” are still missing for more detailed analyzes of Milgrom’s dynamics. However, there is another indication that Newton’s law of gravitation is not sufficient in space: the star clusters are significantly more short-lived than Newton’s laws predict.

This would have far-reaching consequences for astronomy. Newtonian dynamics and the existence of dark matter are accepted, although no evidence of dark matter has yet been provided. “On the other hand, the MOND theory solves many problems that cosmology has to struggle with today,” Kroupa is confident.

The researchers are therefore trying to develop new mathematical methods for even more precise simulations. They could then be used to find further evidence as to whether the MOND theory is correct or not.

SHARING IS CARING!