Scientists can approach the “missing matter” of the universe – HOWEVER

Madrid, 25 February (EFE) .- An international team of scientists succeeded for the first time, identify the place from which he left a radio burst of short duration (RRB) which they it allowed us to confirm the current cosmological model of distribution of matter in the Universe, according to a study published today in Nature .

such bursts of origin still unknown are bright flashes of radio that usually last a few milliseconds and are very difficult to detect. Since it was discovered in 2007 alone have been located 16 phenomena of this kind.

In addition, the study confirmed that the RRB can be used to find the “missing matter” or “missing mass” of the universe, because using that burst as a tool able to “weigh” the universe, or at least the “normal” matter it contains, the study director, Evan Keane said.

the current cosmological model assumes that the universe is formed 70 percent dark energy, 25 percent dark and only 5 percent matter is “normal” matter (which makes up everything we see).

However, through observation of stars, galaxies and hydrogen, astronomers have been able to locate only half the “normal” matter. The rest can not be directly and refer to it as “missing mass”.

“The good news is that our observations and model (cosmological) fit. We found the missing matter, “said Keane, adding that” it is the first time a radio burst of short-term has been used for a cosmological measure “.

The blast localized by scientists had its origin in an elliptical galaxy located about 6 billion light years.

“Our discovery opens the door to know what causes these outbursts,” said the head of Astrophysics of the Australian agency for scientific research CSIRO Simon Johnston, and team member.

Using a combination of radio telescopes and optical experts detected the April last year one of these bursts, thanks to an early warning system, could be followed by various telescopes.

in the past, the RRB gusts months or even years later found to occur when reviewing existing data, which was later to follow up the observations, said Evan Keane, the international project the Square Kilometre Array, which pretend to build the largest radio telescope in the world.

therefore, the team developed its own system of observation in the University of Technology Swinburne (Australia) to detect these the RRB and give the alarm to other telescopes to follow.

the observation of the RRB also possible to measure the rate at which the galaxy that started moving away from the Earth due to expansion accelerated the Universe.

the sign of a RRB shows “dependent dispersion frequency”, ie, a delay in the radio signal caused by the amount of material that the burst has been through.

Until now, scientists had only to that extent, but now also know the distance from which it came can measure “the density of the material between the point of origin and Earth, to compare with the current model the distribution of matter in the Universe “.

in the future, it is expected that the Square Kilometre Array locate hundreds of bursts and determine where they occurred. This will allow greater accuracy of measurement of cosmological parameters, including the distribution of matter in the universe and provide a greater understanding of dark energy.