These "walls" are not necessarily like the walls of a room. Instead, they are more like barriers. Moreover, they can help explain a fascinating part of space, which has puzzled astronomers for a while.
Lambda cold dark matter (Λ CDM) model is the standard model used by scientists to explain cosmology. However, this model has always had a confusing challenge, and sometimes it just doesn't work.
According to the model, small galaxies should be distributed in chaotic orbits around large galaxies. However, most of the small galaxies that orbit large galaxies are arranged on thin planes. These planes look like Saturn's rings. Almost like some "invisible walls" in space, galaxies are arranged along the "walls".
As astronomers often mention, these "satellites" can be found in the synchronous orbit of our entire Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers have also observed them in nearby galaxies. Over the years, scientists have proposed many possible explanations to solve the "satellite disk problem".
However, the new study by researchers at the University of Nottingham suggests a different type of explanation for the "invisible walls" in these spaces. The study is currently available through the preprint server arXiv Get.
The researchers believe that their research points to the first potential "new physics" explanation, which does not completely eliminate dark matter. Dark matter constitutes most of the mass in the universe and has proved to be one of the biggest mysteries in the universe. Therefore, it has always been an important part of this kind of research.
Unlike previous studies on the problem, this new study shows that hypothetical particles called symmetries may produce "invisible walls" in space. Astronomers call these "walls" domain walls, which are the reason why galaxies are fixed in their precise orbits. Instead, galaxies operate in chaotic patterns, as suggested by the Λ CDM model.
The researchers also said that different regions have half the chance to adopt different values for their symmetries. This can explain the difference between some larger galaxies and the smaller galaxies around them.
Of course, this is just a proof of concept. If scientists want to prove the existence of "invisible walls" in space, they need to prove the existence of symmetries. This is where space instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope work. When they look at parts of the early universe, they can tell us more about these new particles and the organization they brought to the universe.