A cluster of galaxies Musket Bullet (DLSCL J0916.2+2951), the light from reaching us after traveling the length 5,23 billion years, is a large group of galaxies, formed by the merger of two clusters of smaller size. And this happened in about 700 million years before we see now in telescopes. As suggested by William Dawson (William Dawson) from the University of California at Davis (USA), it is this accumulation can cause revision of the physics of dark matter. Why?

Pink shows hot gas, blue - dark matter. Contributors to the gap in their arrangement within clusters Musket Bullet. (Illustration : NASA, CXC, STScI, UCDavis, W.Dawson et al.)

Only 2% of the mass of Musket Bullets presents the stars. Another 12% are hot interstellar gas, luminous in x-ray range. And about 86% of the mass of clusters account for dark matter (TM). Because of this mass distribution in the two clusters that was preceded by a Musket Bullet themselves galaxy, probably not even face, and pass through the same region of space.

Taken by the group Mr. Dawson study of gravitational lensing Musket Bullet light of background stars and galaxies gave some surprising results: between the centers of gravity of dark matter clumps and its galaxies during clashes predecessors, there is a gap of about 19 000 light years. Theoretically the same TM, like galaxy clusters, had to pass through the region of collision without much interference. But in practice it is clearly hampered some unaccounted non-gravitational factor, making it gradually falls behind from baryonic matter.

The reasons for lagging behind, according to astronomers, may be that between particles TM clusters predecessors there is some interaction. This is contrary to modern views on TM, according to which its particles are very poorly interact with anything. And this interaction may be new is complementary to the famous four interactions (gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong interactions).

Earlier "new partnership" has already been addressed theorists, he even tried (unsuccessfully) on a small accelerators. If the work of a group of William Dawson will prove to be accurate in the calculations, it is astronomers, not physicists will have to give the palm to the Supervisory commit a new type of interaction that are not yet part of the developed physical theory.

In addition, the unknown interaction is believed to explain the observed previously mysterious effect of uniform distribution TM in dwarf galaxies and star clusters. If TM is really communicates only through gravity, it should concentrate in the nuclei of such entities, but in reality this does not happen. If some kind of interaction between particles TM possible, excessive concentration of them in one point will be difficult, as it happens, for example, with the clouds of hot interstellar gas.

The researcher is still very cautious in their estimates. The probability of existence of a new particle interaction TM between Mr. Dawson estimated at 85%. "This is a good chance for Las Vegas, but scientists cannot make final statements, still having 15-20% probability that the obtained results are the error of measurements, " said the astronomer. To confirm or deny the existence of such interaction, his group is currently engaged in the analysis of other galactic clusters.

The report was made on 7 January at the meeting of the American astronomical society.

Prepared according to Wired.