Dark matter baffles scientists... and a mysterious glow in stars may reveal a secret
The scientific debate continues regarding the nature of dark matter, as scientists have not yet been able to answer the most important question: What is this mysterious matter made of?
Some researchers suggest that dark matter may be composed of hypothetical particles known as axions. A team of astrophysicists from the University of Amsterdam found that, if this hypothesis is correct, its effects might manifest as a faint, additional glow emitted by pulsars, according to a study published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Dark matter is believed to make up at least 85% of the total matter in the universe, but it is not directly observed. Rather, its existence is inferred from its gravitational influence on celestial bodies.
For years, scientists have been trying to uncover its nature by searching for particles that interact weakly with known matter. The axion is one of the leading candidates; it is a particle that has not yet been discovered and has been predicted by several theories, including string theory.
Pulsating stars
According to these theories, axions can be converted into light when exposed to extremely strong electromagnetic fields. Pulsars are among the most powerful sources of these fields in the universe, characterized by their immense density and very small diameter, only about 10 kilometers, despite having a mass similar to that of the Sun. Because of their high rotational speeds, these stars emit narrow bursts of radio radiation and generate extremely strong magnetic fields, making them ideal environments for producing axions. It is estimated that an average-sized pulsar can produce hundreds of thousands of these particles every second, some of which may become detectable radiation. However, detecting this type of signal remains a major challenge, as the light produced by axions is expected to be very weak compared to the total radiation emitted by pulsars. To test this hypothesis, the researchers conducted a computer simulation comparing the radiation pattern with and without axions, then compared the results with observational data from 27 nearby pulsars. While the results did not yield a direct
discovery due to data limitations, they helped narrow the search and identify less likely trends. Scientists hope that future studies and more advanced monitoring techniques will help uncover these particles and understand one of the universe's greatest mysteries.
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