Einstein cross with fifth image discovered: New mystery of dark matter!

Einstein cross with fifth image discovered: New mystery of dark matter!

An international team of astronomers has made a remarkable discovery in the field of astrophysics. They found an extraordinary Einstein cross that shows a galaxy from the early epoch of the universe. The details of this discovery were published in the renowned scientific journal Astrophysical Journal published. This specific Einstein Cross, known as HerS-3, is an arrangement in which light from a distant galaxy is deflected by the gravity of an intervening galaxy. This results in multiple images, in this case five, indicating the presence of dark matter.

The Einstein Cross HerS-3 is located at an impressive distance of 11.6 billion light-years, providing unique insights into the structure and evolution of galaxies. The observations were carried out using several state-of-the-art telescopes, including the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile and that Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the USA. These analytical tools helped researchers identify a massive dark matter halo with an estimated mass of a few trillion solar masses.

The phenomenon of gravitational lensing

The Einstein Cross phenomenon is an example of gravitational lensing, where light from distant objects is bent by massive objects nearby. This interaction is crucial for understanding the mass and structure of galaxies and galaxy clusters. In this particular case, HerS-3's light is deflected by a group of at least four massive foreground galaxies, which, together with younger galaxies, create a natural gravitational lensing effect. The results suggest that the arrangement of the five images can only be explained by considering a dark matter component, which is a significant result for astrophysical research.

Interestingly, HerS-3 is the first recorded Einstein cross with five images and the first to be observed in submillimeter wavelengths. This discovery not only offers new perspectives on dark matter, but also general insights into the evolution of the universe. Co-author Charles Keeton of Rutgers University found that an additional image can only arise from unusual events in the foreground mass, expanding insights into the structures and dynamics of the cosmos.

The importance of dark matter

Dark matter represents about 80 percent of the mass of the universe and does not interact with visible light, making its study one of the greatest challenges in astrophysics. The data, analyzed by graduate student Prachi Prajapati, shows that all five images of HerS-3 have the same pattern of molecular emission lines, indicating a common origin.

The simulations and observations make it clear that the dark matter halo, which is suspected to be in the southwest of the group of galaxies, plays a central role in this discovery. By analyzing the positions and attitudes of these heroes, astronomers can develop better models for understanding dark matter. The ability to study the invisible structure of dark matter in more detail represents a significant advance in the study of the universe.

Overall, the discovery of HerS-3 and its unusual Einstein Cross not only provides important insights into dark matter, but also raises new questions about the structure and evolution of the universe. Future research will undoubtedly focus on refining models and measurement methods to further understand the complicated interactions between dark matter and visible light.