A new model of dark matter distribution in galaxies

In the absence of the physical understanding of the phenomenon, different empirical laws have been used as approximation for distribution of dark matter in galaxies and clusters of galaxies. We suggest a new profile which is not empirical in nature, but motivated with the physical idea that what we call dark matter is essentially the gravitational polarization of the quantum vacuum (containing virtual gravitational dipoles) by the immersed baryonic matter. It is very important to include this new profile in forthcoming studies of dark matter halos and to reveal how well it performs in comparison with empirical profiles. A good agreement of the profile with observational findings would be the first sign of unexpected gravitational properties of the quantum vacuum.Comment: Astrophysics and Space Science (2013

The signatures of new physics, astrophysics and cosmology?

The first three years of the LHC experiments at CERN have ended with "the nightmare scenario": all tests, confirm the Standard Model of Particles so well that theorists must search for new physics without any experimental guidance. The supersymmetric theories, a privileged candidate for new physics are nearly excluded. As a potential escape from the crisis, we propose thinking about a series of astonishing relations suggesting fundamental interconnections between the quantum world and the large scale Universe. It seems reasonable that, for instance, the equation relating a quark-antiquark pair with the fundamental physical constants and cosmological parameters must be a sign of new physics. One of the intriguing possibilities is interpreting our relations as a signature of the quantum vacuum containing the virtual gravitational dipoles

Virtual gravitational dipoles: The key for the understanding of the Universe?

Before the end of this decade, three competing experiments (ALPHA, AEGIS and GBAR) will discover if atoms of antihydrogen fall up or down. We wonder what the major changes in astrophysics and cosmology would be if it is experimentally confirmed that antimatter falls upwards. The key point is: If antiparticles have negative gravitational charge, the quantum vacuum, well established in the Standard Model of Particles and Fields, contains virtual gravitational dipoles. The main conclusions are: (1) the physical vacuum enriched with gravitational dipoles is compatible with a cyclic universe alternatively dominated by matter and antimatter, without initial singularity and without need for cosmic inflation; (2) the virtual dipoles might explain the phenomena usually attributed to dark matter and dark energy. While what we have presented is still far from a complete theory, hopefully it can stimulate a radically different and potentially important way of thinking

Dark matter, dark energy and gravitational proprieties of antimatter

We suggest that the eventual gravitational repulsion between matter and antimatter may be a key for understanding of the nature of dark matter and dark energy. If there is gravitational repulsion, virtual particle-antiparticle pairs in the vacuum, may be considered as gravitational dipoles. We use a simple toy model to reveal a first indication that the gravitational polarization of such a vacuum, caused by baryonic matter in a Galaxy, may produce the same effect as supposed existence of dark matter. In addition, we argue that cancellation of gravitational charges in virtual particle-antiparticle pairs, may be a basis for a solution of the cosmological constant problem and identification of dark energy with vacuum energy. Hence, it may be that dark matter and dark energy are not new, unknown forms of matter-energy but an effect of complex interaction between quantum vacuum and known baryonic matter.Comment: Improved version (submitted to International Journal of Theoretical Physics)presenting a radically new idea that dark matter and dark energy are not new, unknown forms of matter-energy but an effect of complex interaction between the quantum vacuum and known baryonic matter, under assumption that there is gravitational repulsion between particles and antiparticle

Can observations inside the Solar System reveal the gravitational properties of the quantum vacuum?

The understanding of the gravitational properties of the quantum vacuum might be the next scientific revolution.It was recently proposed that the quantum vacuum contains the virtual gravitational dipoles; we argue that this hypothesis might be tested within the Solar System. The key point is that quantum vacuum ("enriched" with the gravitational dipoles) induces a retrograde precession of the perihelion. It is obvious that this phenomenon might eventually be revealed by more accurate studies of orbits of planets and orbits of the artificial Earth satellites. However, we suggest that potentialy the best "laboratory" for the study of the gravitational properties of the quantum vacuum is the Dwarf Planet Eris and its satellite Dysnomia; the distance of nearly 100AU makes it the unique system in which the precession of the perihelion of Dysnomia (around Eris) is strongly dominated by the quantum vacuum