Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Dark Matter Core Model Challenges Black Hole at Milky Way’s Center

MNRAS simulations deliver near‑identical orbital predictions to Sagittarius A*, with decisive tests expected from photon‑ring imaging or GRAVITY astrometry.

Overview

  • An international team proposes a fermionic dark matter configuration with a dense central core wrapped by a diffuse halo acting as one continuous mass distribution.
  • Statistical comparisons show predicted orbits for S‑stars and nearby G‑sources differ from the black hole model by under about 1%, leaving both scenarios viable with current data.
  • The model reproduces the GAIA DR3‑measured Keplerian decline in the Milky Way’s outer rotation curve when combined with known disk and bulge mass.
  • Earlier work indicates an accretion‑lit dark matter core can create an Event Horizon Telescope‑like shadow despite the absence of an event horizon.
  • The authors highlight next tests focused on photon‑ring signatures and more precise stellar tracking using the GRAVITY instrument and future EHT observations.