August 23, WIMPS, Redux  (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) (1)

 

We’re hoping dark matter can’t hide any more

And we’ll find WIMPs better than ever before.

Seven tons of Xenon, down deep in the ground,

May flash if a WIMP hits it right in the core.

 

Seven tons of Xenon, down deep in the ground,

May prove the best WIMP catcher physicists found

To spy a WIMP particle, just passing through.

There ought to be lots of them buzzing around.

 

To catch a WIMP particle just passing through,

We have to recall what they’ve shown they can do.

They cause gravitation but don’t emit light.

So far, gravitation’s dark matter’s sole clue.

 

WIMPs cause gravitation but don’t emit light,

Which means, instead physicists have to be bright.

So, why do they think that the Xenon should flash?

Could Xenon stay dark if these folks are not right?

 

Why do our bright folks think that Xenon should flash?

Well, atoms recoil when two particles clash.

When WIMPs whack the Xenon, photons we can see

Make flashes; detectors should capture the splash.

 

If WIMPs hit the Xenon, then we hope to see,

A flash as an atom recoils suddenly.

Now, sitting and watching is all we can do;

Play chess or play poker and wait patiently.

 

• Galaxies spin too fast for the stars and gas we can see to account for the gravitational force that would be required. So, “dark matter” has been postulated to make up about 85% of all the mass in the universe.  Its particle form should be the WIMP, which might be 100 times as large as a proton but very anti-social, for unknown reasons.  Hence the name, “Weakly Interacting Massive Particles.”  A human illustration would be the failure of facts to interact with the science-denier’s brain.