Researchers at The Ohio State University propose using ground-based radar systems to
Dark matter is estimated to make up about 85%the total mass of the universe. It is difficult to detect because it does not interact with the electromagnetic field in any way and does not emit light. You can find hypothetical particles only by the gravitational effect that they have on various objects in the Universe.
Traditional detectors are focused onsmallest particles. The researchers propose to use a new technology that is designed to search for macroscopic dark matter. To do this, they adapted a method that is used to track meteors.
Ionization during the passage of meteors and dark matter particles through the atmosphere. Image: Pawan Dhakal et al., ArXiv
Passing through the Earth's atmosphere, meteors produceionization deposits - a form of radiation that leaves behind free electrons. The electromagnetic waves emitted by the radar are reflected from this radiation. Using computer simulations, scientists have shown that large and massive particles of dark matter should leave similar traces when entering the planet's atmosphere.
In their work, the researchers calculated howshould be the results of radar observations for dark energy particles. According to physicists, the difficulties in finding dark energy can be associated solely with the size of the particles: massive objects scatter in the atmosphere and simply do not reach ground-based detectors. The new method will turn the entire atmosphere into a giant detector and help find these hypothetical particles.
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