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Chameleon Theory Could Change Our Thoughts on
Gravity
Computer
generated image showing a disk galaxy from a modified gravity
simulation. Image shows (right side of image, in red-blue color)
the gas density within the disk of the galaxy with the stars shown
as bright dots. The left side of the image shows the force changes
in the gas within the disk, where the dark central regions
correspond to standard, General Relativity-like forces and the
bright yellow regions correspond to enhanced (modified forces).
Credit: Christian
Arnold/Baojiu Li/Durham University
Einstein's theory of
General Relativity is world famous - but it might not be the only
way to explain how gravity works and how galaxies form.
Physicists at Durham
University created huge supercomputer simulations of the universe
to test an alternative theory.
Our researchers
found that f(R)-gravity - a so-called Chameleon Theory - could also
explain the formation of structures in the cosmos.
Milky Way
The simulations show
that disc spiral galaxies like our Milky Way still form, even when
a different law of gravity is applied.
Scientists already
know that f(R)-gravity can reproduce the success of General
Relativity in demonstrating the evolution of our solar system.
But our new research
now shows that this theory can also be applied to galaxy formation
on very large cosmological scales.
Universe
evolution
This doesn't mean
that Einstein was wrong, though!
Instead, it shows
that there might be more than one way to explain gravity's role in
the evolution of the universe.
General Relativity
was developed by Einstein in the early 1900s to explain the
gravitational effect of large objects in space.
Dark energy
It also has
consequences for understanding the accelerating expansion of the
universe, which it's thought is driven by a mysterious substance
called dark energy.
However, models like
f(R)-gravity can also explain the universe's rapid growth and our
researchers say their work could also be small step towards
identifying what dark energy is.
Cosmology and
Astronomy
Our astronomers and
cosmologists are among the best in the world and are constantly
shedding new light on the science of the universe.
In the past year
we've also shown how supermassive black holes can help to measure
the expansion of the early universe; how our Milky Way is on a
catastrophic collision course with a neighbouring galaxy; and why
Uranus is tilted on its side.
We're also helping
to build the Extremely Large Telescope - the biggest telescope in
the world. Discover more about our
Cosmology and Astronomy research.
The f(R)-gravity
research is published in Nature
Astronomy.
Source: Durham University
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