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A gravitational diffusion model without dark matter

R J Britten1

  • 1Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, 101 Dahlia Avenue, Corona del Mar, CA 92625, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 16, 1998
PubMed
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This study proposes a diffusion model to explain galactic rotation curves and galaxy cluster mass-to-light ratios without dark matter. The model suggests gravity propagates with a mean free path, altering its force law at different distances.

Area of Science:

  • Astrophysics
  • Cosmology
  • Theoretical Physics

Background:

  • Flat rotation curves of galaxies and mass-to-light ratios of galaxy clusters are unexplained by visible matter alone.
  • The standard model requires dark matter to account for these gravitational anomalies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel model explaining galactic dynamics without invoking dark matter.
  • To quantitatively describe galaxy rotation curves and galaxy cluster mass-to-light ratios using a diffusion-based gravitational force.

Main Methods:

  • A theoretical model where gravitational force propagates via scattering with a mean free path of approximately 5 kiloparsecs.
  • Applying diffusion equations to describe the force law, which changes from inverse-square at short distances to inverse-first power at larger distances.

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Main Results:

  • The model successfully describes flat rotation curves of galaxies and mass-to-light ratios of galaxy clusters.
  • Predicts an excess gravitational force that increases with structure size, fitting observations from dwarf galaxies to clusters.
  • The model requires only one free parameter and does not postulate additional matter beyond observed baryons and radiation.

Conclusions:

  • A diffusion model for gravity can explain large-scale structure observations without dark matter.
  • The universe's density in this model is only a small fraction of the closure density.
  • The model provides a parsimonious explanation for gravitational anomalies across various astronomical scales.