What type of matter constitutes the focus of the Milky Way's 'missing mass' mystery?
Answer
Ordinary matter (protons and neutrons)
The central puzzle concerns ordinary baryonic matter—the components that form stars and planets—which was expected based on Big Bang predictions but was missing from the visible census of the galaxy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of matter constitutes the focus of the Milky Way's 'missing mass' mystery?What theoretical framework predicts the expected ratio of normal matter (baryons) in a galaxy like the Milky Way?What is the name given to the vast, gaseous halo surrounding the Milky Way hypothesized to contain the missing baryonic matter?Why is detecting the missing ordinary matter in the CGM difficult using traditional methods?Which instrument is specifically mentioned as using X-ray sensitivity to look for the high temperatures expected in the halo gas?What leading explanation is proposed for why vast quantities of gas were ejected far out into the CGM?Approximately how long ago might the turbulent process that ejected the missing matter have occurred?Besides the hot gas in the CGM, what other orbiting structures contribute to accounting for some of the Milky Way's missing mass census?What observational technique, besides X-ray detection, provided crucial insights into mapping the missing baryonic material outside the disk?What key factors must be refined to accurately estimate the total mass of the diffuse CGM halo?