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petergreat
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There were proposals that dark matter might be ultra-light scalar particles in Bose-Einstein condensation phase, but the idea doesn't seem to have caught on. What are the advantages / disadvantages of this model?
Bill_K said:Especially the Xenon100 experiment should soon have enough sensitivity to either detect or rule out WIMPS. If they fail to see it, you can be sure the whole idea of dark matter will be rehashed, and other theories like the one you mention will attract more interest.
BEC stands for Bose-Einstein condensate, which is a state of matter where particles behave like waves and can occupy the same space. It is a possible candidate for dark matter because it is a cold and slow-moving substance, which matches some characteristics of dark matter.
No, BEC is still considered a viable dark matter candidate. While it has not been definitively proven to be dark matter, it has not been ruled out either.
Some studies have shown that BEC can account for a significant portion of the observed dark matter in galaxies. Additionally, simulations have shown that BEC can form the large-scale structures that are observed in the universe.
One challenge is that it is difficult to detect BEC, as it does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Additionally, there is still much that is unknown about the properties and behavior of BEC, making it difficult to definitively determine if it is dark matter.
Yes, there is ongoing research and experimentation to better understand BEC and its potential as a dark matter candidate. Scientists are working to develop new detection methods and improve our understanding of the properties of BEC.