What Is Dark Matter? / / Peter Fisher.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter EBOOK PACKAGE COMPLETE 2022 English
• VerfasserIn: Fisher, Peter,
• Place / Publishing House: Princeton, NJ : : Princeton University Press, , [2022]; ©2022
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Princeton Frontiers in Physics ; 10
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (192 p.) :; 41 b/w illus.

What we know about dark matter and what we have yet to discoverAstronomical observations have confirmed dark matter’s existence, but what exactly is dark matter? In What Is Dark Matter?, particle physicist Peter Fisher introduces readers to one of the most intriguing frontiers of physics. We cannot actually see dark matter, a mysterious, nonluminous form of matter that is believed to count for about 27 percent of the mass-energy balance in the universe. But we know dark matter is present by observing its ghostly gravitational effects on the behavior and evolution of galaxies. Fisher brings readers quickly up to speed regarding the current state of the dark matter problem, offering relevant historical context as well as a close look at the cutting-edge research focused on revealing dark matter’s true nature.Could dark matter be a new type of particle—an axion or a Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP)—or something else? What have physicists ruled out so far—and why? What experimental searches are now underway and planned for the near future, in hopes of detecting dark matter on Earth or in space? Fisher explores these questions and more, illuminating what is known and unknown, and what a triumph it will be when scientists discover dark matter’s identity at last.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- INTRODUCTION: THE DARK MATTER PROBLEM -- 1 SOME BACKGROUND -- 2 EVIDENCE FOR DARK MATTER FROM ASTRONOMY -- 3 NORMAL MATTER: THE STANDARD MODEL -- 4 WHAT DARK MATTER IS NOT -- 5 SEARCHING FOR WIMPS ON EARTH -- 6 SEARCHING FOR DARK MATTER IN SPACE -- 7 SEARCHING FOR AXIONS -- 8 EPILOGUE -- GLOSSARY -- SUGGESTED READINGS -- INDEX