The universe is a one-of-a-kind testing ground for physics principles, particularly those proposed by Euler and Einstein. Euler talked about how celestial objects move, and Einstein talked about how celestial objects distort the universe.
The reliability of their equations has been questioned ever since the acceleration of the expansion of the universe and the discovery of dark matter. Can they provide an explanation for these baffling events? The first approach to finding out has been developed by a group from the University of Geneva (UNIGE). Time distortion is a brand-new metric that is taken into account. Nature Astronomy has published the findings.
Our understanding of the universe was fundamentally altered by Leonhard Euler’s (1707–1783) and Albert Einstein’s (1879–1955) theories. Euler gave scientists a powerful tool for calculating the motions of galaxies throughout the universe with the well-known equation that bears his name. With his hypothesis of general relativity, Einstein exhibited that the universe is certainly not a static structure; it very well may be contorted by star groups and cosmic systems.
“The problem is that current cosmological data do not distinguish between theories that violate Einstein’s equations and those that violate Euler’s equation. This is what our research demonstrates. We also provide a mathematical solution to this difficulty. This is the result of ten years of research.”
Camille Bonvin, associate professor in the Department of Theoretical Physics in the UNIGE Faculty of Science.
These equations have been put through numerous tests by physicists, all of which have been successful up to this point. However, these models are still being tested by two discoveries: the existence of invisible dark matter, which is thought to make up 85% of all matter in the universe, and the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. Do these baffling phenomena still adhere to the Einsteinian and Eulerian equations? This question still remains unanswered by researchers.
The missing component “The issue is that our current cosmological data make it impossible to distinguish between a theory that violates Euler’s equation and one that violates Einstein’s equation.” In our research, we demonstrate this. Additionally, we present a mathematical solution to this issue. ” Camille Bonvin, associate professor in the Department of Theoretical Physics in the UNIGE Faculty of Science and first author of the study, explains that this is the result of ten years of research.
Due to a lack of an “ingredient,” the measurement of time distortion, researchers were unable to distinguish between these two equations’ validity at the very edge of the universe. Prior to that, the only measurements we had were the sum of the distortions of time and space and the speed of celestial objects. “This is a first because we have developed a method for accessing this additional measurement,” says Camille Bonvin.
If the distortion of time differs from the sum of time and space—that is, the result that the theory of general relativity produced—this indicates that Einstein’s model is ineffective. The Euler equation is invalid if the speed of the galaxies calculated with it does not match the time distortion. Levon Pogosian, co-author of the study and professor in the Department of Physics at Simon Fraser University in Canada, explains, “This will enable us to discover whether new forces or matter, which violate these two theories, exist in the universe.”
Fact check These findings will make a significant contribution to a number of missions that aim to ascertain the nature of dark matter and the source of the universe’s rapid expansion. These include the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which began its five-year mission in Arizona in 2021, and the EUCLID space telescope, which will be launched in July 2023 by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the UNIGE. Additionally, in South Africa and Australia, there is the international SKA (Square Kilometer Array) giant radio telescope project, which will begin observations in 2028/29.
“These various missions will incorporate our method. This is already the situation for DESI, with whom we have become external collaborators as a result of this research,” says Camille Bonvin. The exploration group has effectively tested its model on engineered inventories of worlds. DESI’s initial data will be used to test it, and systematic features that could hinder its application will be minimized and obstacles will be identified.
More information: Camille Bonvin et al, Modified Einstein versus Modified Euler for Dark Matter, Nature Astronomy (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-023-02003-y. On arXiv: arxiv.org/abs/2209.03614
