Table of Contents
What is the WIMP theory?
weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP), heavy, electromagnetically neutral subatomic particle that is hypothesized to make up most dark matter and therefore some 22 percent of the universe.
What does WIMP stand for in cosmology?
The leading candidate that might explain the fundamental make-up of dark matter is a hypothetical particle called the weakly interacting massive particle, or WIMP.
What does WIMP mean in dark matter?
weakly interacting massive particles
For decades, physicists have hypothesized that weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are the strongest candidate for dark matter — the mysterious substance that makes up 85% of the Universe’s mass.
What is the mass of a WIMP?
about 2GeV
In a more commonly used sense, WIMP refers to a particle with mass in the range from about 2GeV (the so-called Lee-Weinberg bound)1 up to some 100TeV (a rough unitarity bound [2]), whose interactions are set basically by the weak interaction coupling of the Standard Model, although strongly suppressed, as otherwise one …
What does a WIMP look like?
The definition of a wimp is a coward or a weak person. A person who never takes risks or stands up for himself is an example of a wimp. (informal) A weak, ineffectual, or insipid person. A hypothetical, electrically neutral, massive subatomic particle that interacts with other matter by means of the weak interaction.
Do WIMPs exist?
Although the existence of WIMPs in nature is still hypothetical, it would resolve a number of astrophysical and cosmological problems related to dark matter. There is consensus today among astronomers that most of the mass in the Universe is indeed dark.
Is WIMP an insult?
“The word wimp has begun to specialize,” said Robert Chapman, a word expert and editor of the New Dictionary of American Slang. “It used to mean more of an ineffectual person or a weak person, but now I think it has begun to take on a strong connotation of cowardly.” Wimp also has evolved, spawning new forms.
Where does WIMP come from?
The most plausible explanation for the origin of wimp is that it comes from whimper (noun or verb), meaning ‘a small sound of pain, fear or sadness’, as in “The dog whimpered pitifully”.
What are axions and WIMPs?
By Charlie Wood. November 27, 2019. Physicists have long searched for hypothesized dark matter particles called WIMPs. Now, focus may be shifting to the axion — an ultra-lightweight particle whose existence would solve two mysteries at once.
Whats the opposite of a WIMP?
Opposite of someone who displays a lack of courage or character. powerhouse. stalwart. supporter. advocate.
What does it mean when a girl calls you a WIMP?
Wimp is an informal, derogatory way to refer to someone who’s nervous or unadventurous, like calling them a “chicken” or “crybaby.” And when you wimp out, you don’t follow through on something because you’re too scared: “I didn’t mean to wimp out, but when I got up there, I changed my mind about bungee jumping.” …
What are the elements of WIMP?
In human–computer interaction, WIMP stands for “windows, icons, menus, pointer”, denoting a style of interaction using these elements of the user interface.
What are WIMPs and MACHOs?
WIMP is an acronym for weakly interacting massive particle and MACHO is an acronym for massive (astrophysical) compact halo object. WIMPs and MACHOs are two of the most popular DARK MATTER candidates.
How did we look for MACHOs?
Several groups have been searching for MACHOs by scanning over 20 million stars in the central galactic bulge and in the overhead Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). They look for instances of microlensing, a phenomenon in which the star’s light is brightened by the gravitational focusing effect of a foreground MACHO.
What is a wimp?
There exists no clear definition of a WIMP, but broadly, a WIMP is a new elementary particle which interacts via gravity and any other force (or forces), potentially not part of the Standard Model itself, which is as weak as or weaker than the weak nuclear force, but also non-vanishing in its strength.
Are there wimps in nature?
Although the existence of WIMPs in nature is still hypothetical, it would resolve a number of astrophysical and cosmological problems related to dark matter. There is consensus today among astronomers that most of the mass in the Universe is indeed dark.
What is the difference between WIMPs and Machos?
In contrast to MACHOs, there are no known stable particles within the Standard Model of particle physics that have all the properties of WIMPs. The particles that have little interaction with normal matter, such as neutrinos, are all very light, and hence would be fast moving, or “hot”.
Is dark matter a wimp?
If this model is correct, the dark matter particle would have the properties of the WIMP. Because WIMPs may only interact through gravitational and weak forces, they are extremely difficult to detect. However, there are many experiments underway to attempt to detect WIMPs both directly and indirectly.