Dark matter remains an enigma, accounting for 80% of the universe’s “stuff” yet eluding direct observation. The existence of dark matter explains gravitational forces behind galaxy binding and rotation.
Physicists worldwide have launched hundreds of experiments to detect dark matter particles, relying on theoretical frameworks. However, a new approach has been proposed by Professor Stefano Profumo at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). Profumo draws from quantum chromodynamics (QCD) theory to suggest a “mirror world” or dark sector with its own particles and forces.
The first paper proposes a “dark QCD” in the dark sector with dark quarks and gluons forming heavier particles. These could have collapsed into small, stable black hole-like objects that interact solely through gravity. If present in sufficient quantities, they could account for observed effects of dark matter.
A second study explores an alternative mechanism: accelerated expansion of the universe after the Big Bang, creating new particles via a hypothetical “cosmic horizon.” This theory is inspired by Hawking radiation around event horizons.
Both mechanisms are speculative but offer calculable scenarios that deviate from conventional particle dark matter models. Profumo’s work aims to provide self-contained explanations without relying on under-pressure experimental results.
Source: https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/mirror-universe-dark-matter