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[42.05] Sinusoidal Potential and Cosmology

D. F. Bartlett (University of Colorado)

The nature of dark matter (and dark energy) remains a mystery. An alternative is being explored by several scientists: changing Einstein’s field equations. With the exception of cosmologists, astronomers generally have been content to test the older alternative, MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (Milgrom 1984) that challenges Newton but leaves relativistic gravity as an issue for the future. At recent meetings of the AAS, I have presented evidence for a new, non-Newtonian, potential, the sinusoidal potential, \phi = (GM/r) cos(k_o r), where 2 \pi / k_o = 425 pc is a proposed universal constant. Instead of Poisson’s equation, this potential satisfies an equation similar to Helmholtz equation, \nabla²\phi_m +k_o²\phi_m = 4\pi G \rho_m. At AAS 200, I showed that a similar equation for electricity, the Proca equation, \nabla²\phi_e – k_o²\phi_e= -4\pi rho_e (with the same k_o as for gravity) could remove the need for dark matter to bind the Coma cluster.

Conventional electrodynamics can readily be extended to include k_o (Goldhaber & Nieto 1971). Recently I have found how to include k_o in relativistic gravity. I will show how this inclusion affects the interpretation of the Cosmic Microwave Background and the expansion of the universe.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
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