A universal river runs through it: unexpected motion in Universe

William Atkins
Monday, 03 November 2008 22:57

Science - Space

The entire paper is available on the NASA website “A measurement of large-scale peculiar velocities of clusters of galaxies: results and cosmological implications” (a pdf file)

Although a little bit difficult to understand in its technical content, the researchers are basically saying that the cause of this flow of galaxy clusters is not known.

The motion may have to do with the attraction of the gravitational force outside of our known universe, but this is only a hunch on their part.

They think the “purple patch” may lie outside the visible universe.

And, that their measurements of this uniform movement in one direction goes totally against the assumption that the universe is structurally the same in all areas and that the density of matter is about the same in all areas, too.

Dr. Kashlinsky (who is with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) states, “We expected to find something completely different. It’s basically a slope across the universe.”

Another paper (September 22, 2008) appearing on the Internet, based on the studies of this unusual phenomenon is titled “A measurement of large-scale peculiar velocities of clusters of galaxies: technical details.”

Its authors are Alexander Kashlinsky, F. Atrio-Barandela, D. Kocevski, and H. Ebeling.

Further information about this unusual flow of galaxy clusters across the universe appears on the SpaceRef.com website in the form of a Goddard Space Flight Center press release (September 23, 2008) “'Dark Flow' - Detect Matter Beyond Observable Universe.”