Excess Protons Point To Dark Matter?

[hazelm]

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/02/space-magnet-homes-clue-dark-matter?utm_campaign=news_daily_2019-02-06&et_rid=432455128&et_cid=2640881

 

A positron excess - uncovered by a cosmic ray detector -  could point to dark matter.  Or to a pulsar.  Or to a supernova explosion. 

 

Or....?  It sounds like the makings of a good and debatable book.  A lot of "meat" but no decision yet.  For now, the positrons - like the edges of our Milky Way - are collapsing off in  unexpected directions. And a lot of "might be's" are providing fodder for further debate. 

[exchemist]

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/02/space-magnet-homes-clue-dark-matter?utm_campaign=news_daily_2019-02-06&et_rid=432455128&et_cid=2640881

 

A positron excess - uncovered by a cosmic ray detector -  could point to dark matter.  Or to a pulsar.  Or to a supernova explosion. 

 

Or....?  It sounds like the makings of a good and debatable book.  A lot of "meat" but no decision yet.  For now, the positrons - like the edges of our Milky Way - are collapsing off in  unexpected directions. And a lot of "might be's" are providing fodder for further debate. 

Yes, all very inconclusive at this point. The tone of the article seems a bit sceptical of this Ting guy, too.

 

But at least they have what looks like a real phenomenon, of positrons within this sharply defined band of energies, even if the explanations are unconvincing at this point. 

[hazelm]

Yes, all very inconclusive at this point. The tone of the article seems a bit sceptical of this Ting guy, too.

 

But at least they have what looks like a real phenomenon, of positrons within this sharply defined band of energies, even if the explanations are unconvincing at this point. 

That's pretty much how I read it.  Still very much in the "you can't be right" stage.    An interesting concept, though, for those wanting to prove or disprove dark matter.   At least he rated a connection to the Space Station.

 

Thanks.

[Moronium]

things more plausible than dark matter can produce them.

 

 

Like, what aint, I ask ya, eh, Flum?

 

If you're looking for an explanation, dark matter should be the last possibility you consider, not the first.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Moronium

[hazelm]

Positrons can be produced in a number of ways on earth from radio active decays, and lightening in thunder clouds as detected by NASA. Positrons are a natural phenomena and things more plausible than dark matter can produce them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron 

Right.  That's what they said.  I think their stress was more on the direction those take.  I don't know why, just know what.  :-)    Agreed, though, it surely is arguable.

Edited February 7, 2019 by hazelm

[exchemist]

Positrons can be produced in a number of ways on earth from radio active decays, and lightening in thunder clouds as detected by NASA. Positrons are a natural phenomena and things more plausible than dark matter can produce them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron 

Yes. But I think the point here is to do with the band of energies of the positrons they have found, between 10 and 300 GeV. It seems to be this that makes them wonder of they result from electron/positron pairs generated from some exotic form of matter.

[hazelm]

Yes. But I think the point here is to do with the band of energies of the positrons they have found, between 10 and 300 GeV. It seems to be this that makes them wonder of they result from electron/positron pairs generated from some exotic form of matter.

There is so much in the article that it has to be read several times to begin to see where they are going.  Took me a while.