One of the aspects of our study of the universe that fascinates me is the hunt for dark matter. That elusive material that doesn’t interact with much makes it difficult but not impossible to detect

dark matter could cause Jupiter’s night side to glow. 

Jupiter is a good target for dark matter because of its large surface area and cool core temperature. These properties allow Jupiter to capture and retain lighter dark matter. 

Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that doesn’t seem to interact with light or the electromagnetic field. It’s implied by gravitational effects that can’t be explained by general relativity.

Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that can’t be seen or measured, but it does exert a gravitational force on ordinary matter. Scientists estimate that dark matter makes up 85% of the total mass of the universe

Dark matter is difficult to detect because it doesn’t interact with much. It doesn’t absorb or emit light, and it’s not possible to see it with a telescope. Dark matter particles are much more massive than electrons and quarks, and they’re very difficult to create. 

Dark matter is implied by gravitational effects that can’t be explained by general relativity. These effects occur in the formation and evolution of galaxies, gravitational lensing, the observable universe’s current structure, and more

Without dark matter, the universe would be very different. Dark matter is thought to be the invisible structure that holds up the universe. Without it, there would be no galaxies, stars, planets, or life

Dark matter is thought to be important for the formation of galaxies. Astronomers believe that galaxies cannot form without the gravitational pull of dark matter. 

Dark matter is also thought to hold stars together in their own bound structure. Without dark matter, a star formation event would likely blast apart the proto-galaxy, leaving only individual stars behind

In particular, we have come to realize that without dark matter, our universe would look nothing like the way it does now. There would be no galaxies, no stars, no planets, and therefore, no life. This is because dark matter acts as the invisible skeletal structure that holds up the visible universe around us

Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not interact with the electromagnetic force. This means it does not absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely hard to spot. In fact, researchers have been able to infer the existence of dark matter only from the gravitational effect it seems to have on visible matter

According to a simulation, dark matter might look like massive halos around every galaxy in the universe. However, it has never been observed because it doesn’t interact with light. 

Dark matter halos are active regions of the sky, filled with galaxies and radiation-emitting collisions. These collisions could make it possible to find dark matter halos in the real sky. 

Dark matter may consist of massive compact objects (MACHOs), such as: 

• Dead or dying stars 
• Black holes 
• Planet-sized collections of rocks and ice

Here are some examples of dark matter: 

• Massive Compact Halo Objects (MACHOs): These are dark matter candidates that include condensed objects like black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs, and non-luminous objects like planets. 
• Hypothetical particles: These include axions, sterile neutrinos, weakly interacting massive particle (WIMPs), supersymmetric particles, or geons. 
• Primordial black holes: These are another example of dark matter. 

Most scientists think that dark matter is made of non-baryonic matter. The lead candidate, WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles), are believed to have ten to a hundred times the mass of a proton. However, their weak interactions with “normal” matter make them difficult to detect.

Jupiter is a good target for dark matter (DM) because of its large surface area and cool core temperature compared to the Sun. These properties allow Jupiter to capture and retain lighter DM

Jupiter’s large surface area is 61,42,00,00,000 km². Its cool core temperature ranges from minus 100°C (minus 150°F) to minus 160°C (minus 260°F) from the surface to about 30 miles (50 kilometers) up. 

Jupiter’s large mass and low temperature also allow it to capture and accumulate dark matter particles as it moves through the galactic halo

NASA’s Juno spacecraft discovered that Jupiter’s atmosphere produces transient luminous events (TLEs). TLEs are lightning-like electrical outbursts that look similar to lightning but are located much higher in the atmosphere

The Juno spacecraft’s ultraviolet spectrograph instrument detected 11 transient bright flashes in Jupiter’s atmosphere. These flashes are only observed in a single spin of the spacecraft and their brightness decays exponentially with time, with a duration of ∼1.4 ms. 

The TLEs are two types of flashes of light called “sprites” and “elves”. On Earth, these colorful lights occur during thunderstorms, when lightning strikes produce red tendrils called “sprites” or glowing disks called “elves” high above the clouds. This is the first time they have been seen on a planet other than Earth.

According to a 2020 study published in Nature Astronomy, Jupiter’s moon Europa glows in the dark due to radiation from Jupiter. 

Here’s how the glow works: 

1. Jupiter’s radiation bombards Europa’s icy surface with electrons. 
2. The electrons energize the molecules beneath the surface. 
3. When the molecules relax, they release energy as visible light. 
4. The frozen water releases some of the energy as light, with different atoms and molecules giving off light at different wavelengths. 

The color and variations of the glow could reveal information about the composition of the ice. 

Researchers believe that Europa’s surface is made of magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride, which are similar to Epsom salt and table salt. They incorporated these substances into ice under Europa-like conditions and blasted it with radiation to produce a glow.

Using data from Cassini VISM system, the team have searched for dark matter ionisation in the ionosphere of Jupiter. Due to Jupiter’s relatively cool core, it was identified as the most efficient dark matter captor in the Solar System allowing dark matter particles to be retained

Dark matter that is captured by planetary atmospheres, and subsequently annihilated, can produce detectable ionizing radiation

The detection of dark matter ionization in the Jovian atmosphere provides a new way to understand dark matter. Exoplanets, especially those in regions of the galaxy rich in dark matter, could be a new source of dark matter. 

Ionization is a process that occurs when an atom or molecule gains or loses electrons, resulting in a negative or positive charge. The resulting electrically charged atom or molecule is called an ion. 

Scientists believe exoplanets could be a powerful detector for dark matter. Dark matter and regular matter interact gravitationally, so exoplanets could capture dark matter, which would cluster around their cores. As the dark matter decays, it releases heat energy into the exoplanet, making it warmer. 

According to Physics World, dark matter particles captured by an exoplanet’s gravitational fields will scatter and eventually annihilate within the exoplanet’s mass. This will heat up the exoplanet, causing it to emit more infrared radiation than would be expected.

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