Search for dark matter has new target

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Astronomers seeking evidence of dark matter, the invisible substance thought to constitute much of the universe, say recent work by U.S. researchers may help.

Scientists from Princeton University and New York University say a method for detecting the collision of stars with an elusive type of black hole believed to be made up dark matter could serve as observable proof of its existence, a Princeton release said Monday.

So-called primordial black holes, theoretical remnants of the Big Bang, are thought to be one source of the mysterious substance but they have yet to be observed. In a collision with a star, a primordial black hole would not "swallow" the star as would a larger black hole but would cause noticeable and, researchers hope, observable vibrations on the star's surface as it passes through.

Shravan Hanasoge of Princeton and Michael Kesden of NYU say their computer model, used with current solar-observation techniques, could offer a more precise method for detecting primordial black holes than existing tools.

"If astronomers were just looking at the sun, the chances of observing a primordial black hole are not likely, but people are now looking at thousands of stars," Hanasoge said.

A primordial black hole, if found, would fit all the parameters of dark matter, he said.

"They have mass and force so they directly influence other objects in the universe, and they don't interact with light. Identifying one would have profound implications for our understanding of the early universe and dark matter."