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Sydney: More atomic
hydrogen gas, which fuels the creation of universe - is lurking in
space than previous estimates, according to the first accurate
measurement of the gas in galaxies close to our own.
Just after the Big Bang the universe's matter was almost entirely
hydrogen atoms. Over time this mass of atoms came together and
generated galaxies, stars and planets - and the process is still
going on.
By taking a new look at some archival data, Robert Braun, chief
scientist at the CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Sydney, has
discovered that galaxies around us are hiding about a third more
atomic hydrogen gas than previously calculated.
The study also shows that the gas is distributed very differently
from how it was in the past, with much less in the galaxies' outer
suburbs than billions of years ago, The Astrophysical Journal
reported.
"This means that it's much harder for galaxies to pull the gas in
and form new stars," Braun said. "It's why stars are forming 20
times more slowly now than in the past."
"Even though there's more atomic hydrogen than we thought, it's
not a big enough percentage to solve the Dark Matter problem,"
said Braun, according to a university statement.
"If what we are missing had the weight of a large kangaroo, what
we have found would have the weight of a small echidna," Braun
said.
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