Review
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"One of the most perplexing problems in astrophysics
is the nature of the major component of the universe: dark
matter. Author Sanders has been a major researcher in attempts to
understand it. In this historical account, the presence of dark
matter is traced from its discovery in 1933, through its
rediscovery by optical and radio astronomers who investigated the
rotation curves of galaxies and the internal motions of clusters
of galaxies. They then traced light and mass as a function of
galactic radius. Remarkable in came with the discovery of
hot in galaxies, satellites that explored details of the
cosmic microwave background and the realization that a second
problem existed: dark energy. Particle astrophysics and cosmology
enter the picture and a realization that modified Newtonian
dynamics may have to be invoked to explain phenomena that we
cannot directly observe. This is a fascinating detective story,
described in a personal and very readable way without much
mathematics but presenting arguments that might be hard to follow
without some background in physics. The appendix presents a
beautiful summary of relevant definitions of astronomy. Black and
white photos, graphs and drawings accompany the text. There are 6
pages of references and a 4-page index."
Bill Howard, CHOICE Magazine
This is a splendid and timely book and the reader is rewarded
with an in into the tantalising conflict between the
majority proponent view of dark matter and the competing
viewpoint embodied in the Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND)
hypothesis... Sanders deals in detail with the astrophysical
evidence which forms the basis of the dark matter viewpoint and
contrasts its successes and shortcomings with the similarly
limited success of MOND. The conflict is illustrated beautifully
with a detailed account of the successful interpretation of flat
galactic rotation curves by both proposals but Sanders also takes
time to examine the key role played by the demands of spiral
galaxy stability, by studies of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies
and by the unique success of MOND in providing a possible basis
for the Tully-Fisher Law. What was not available to Krauss in
"The Fifth Essence" is the mass of information gleaned over the
past twenty years by satellite based x-ray and microwave
instrumentation, by high spacial resolution radio astronomy and
through gravitational lensing analyses. ... His book is written
with the scientific community in mind and the language is
uncompromisingly scientific but it is nonetheless homable by
the non-spet. Mathematical argument is kept to a minimum
but is perhaps inevitable in discussing MOND - and there is a
useful appendix which goes some way to provide a summarised
background on which an inexpert reader can base a first reading.
"The Dark Matter Problem" will find an easily accessible place on
this reviewer's bookshelf for some time."
Brian Parsons, FAS Newsletter, Summer 2010
"La cosmologie est-elle en crise? Question apparemment incongrue
au regard de l'actuelle prétention des cosmologistes d'avoir
percé les secrets du cosmos. Cela dit, en science, on ne
reconnaît bien souvent une crise qu'après coup. Y aurait-il donc
des signes d'une possible remise en cause de la conception
dominante de l'univers? Disons-le tout net: oui. Par exemple,
dans l'actuelle théorie du big bang, 95% de l'énergie et de la
matière de l'univers manque ... l'appel. Pour retomber sur leurs
pieds, les cosmologistes ont en effet été obligés de postuler
l'existence d'une matière et d'une énergie de nature inconnue
constituant la quasi-totalité de l'univers, tout en reconnaissant
être incapables d'en détecter directement la moindre trace. C'est
ce qu'on appelle le problème de la matière noire "The Dark Matter
Problem", qui est présenté dans ce livre suivant une approche
historique. Ce problème sera-t-il résolu sans bouleversement
majeur de la physique ou de la cosmologie? Pour l'instant, il
n'est bien s-r pas possible de répondre ... une telle question.
Mais il est très instructif de suivre les errements de la
recherche en ce domaine. La matière noire, c'est effectivement
l'arlésienne de la cosmologie. On en parle beaucoup depuis 40
ans; on est convaincu de son existence; mais on ne l'a jamais
détectée directement. L'astronome Fritz Zwicky fut le premier ...
montrer dans les années 1930 qu'il manquait de la matière dans
les amas de galaxies. Ne sachant pas trop quoi en penser, les
astrophysiciens prêtèrent peu attention ... cette anomalie. Mais
elle refit surface dans les années 1970 quand on s'aperçut que
les galaxies tournaient plus vite qu'elles auraient d-, ... en
juger par la masse de leur matière visible. Jusque l..., rien de
vrent dramatique. Pourquoi faudrait-il que toute la matière
soit visible? Le problème allait toutefois se corser. Toujours
dans ces années 1970, la théorie du big bang assoit son
hégémonie. Or s'il existe autant de matière que le suggère la
dynami
"... readable and enjoyable book... On the whole, The Dark Matter
Problem will benefit advanced undergraduates, graduate students,
and some researchers. Students and professionals in the field may
receive this book as a training tool that highlights the current
deficiencies of the dark-matter paradigm. Understanding those
deficiencies is an important part of the learning process."
Liliya L. R. Williams, Physics Today
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Book Description
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Describing the development of dark matter theory,
this book shows why it is now a central feature of extragalactic
astronomy and cosmology. This fascinating overview will interest
cosmologists, astronomers and particle physicists. Mathematics is
kept to a minimum, so the book can be understood by
non-spets.
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