A gaggle of researchers on the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia have discovered a possible “cosmic glitch” within the universe’s gravity, explaining its strange behaviour on a cosmic scale.
For the last 100 years, physicists have relied upon Albert Einstein’s theory of “general relativity” to elucidate how gravity works throughout the universe. General relativity, proven accurate by countless tests and observations, suggests that gravity impacts not simply three physical dimensions but additionally a fourth dimension: time.
“This model of gravity has been essential for every part from theorizing the Big Bang to photographing black holes,” said Robin Wen, the lead writer on the project and a recent Waterloo Mathematical Physics graduate.
“But after we try to grasp gravity on a cosmic scale, at the size of galaxy clusters and beyond, we encounter apparent inconsistencies with the predictions of general relativity. It’s almost as if gravity itself stops perfectly matching Einstein’s theory. We’re calling this inconsistency a ‘cosmic glitch’: gravity becomes around one per cent weaker when coping with distances within the billions of sunshine years. “
For greater than twenty years, physicists and astronomers have been attempting to create a mathematical model that explains the apparent inconsistencies of the idea of general relativity. A lot of those efforts have taken place at Waterloo, which has a protracted history of cutting-edge gravitational research resulting from ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration between applied mathematicians and astrophysicists.
“Almost a century ago, astronomers discovered that our universe is expanding,” said Niayesh Afshordi, a professor of astrophysics on the University of Waterloo and researcher on the Perimeter Institute.
“The farther away galaxies are, the faster they’re moving, to the purpose that they appear to be moving at nearly the speed of sunshine, the utmost allowed by Einstein’s theory. Our finding suggests that, on those very scales, Einstein’s theory may additionally be insufficient.”
The research team’s latest model of a “cosmic glitch” modifies and extends Einstein’s mathematical formulas in a way that resolves the inconsistency of a number of the cosmological measurements without affecting existing successful uses of general relativity.
“Consider it as being like a footnote to Einstein’s theory,” Wen said. “When you reach a cosmic scale, terms and conditions apply.”
“This latest model might just be the primary clue in a cosmic puzzle we’re starting to resolve across space and time,” Afshordi said.
