Skip to sections.
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the probe launched by NASA in 2001 to survey cosmic background radiation. Detailed analysis and observation results were announced in 2003.
The WMAP observations showed that the universe consists of 73% dark energy, 23% dark matter, and 4% normal matter. The mass in the universe refers to a sum total of visible matter and dark matter, breaking down into 15% normal matter and 85% dark matter.
Normal elementary and SUSY particles
The elementary particles that make up our visible world are shown in the top illustration above. All particles have been detected with the exception of Higgs particles. The bottom illustration shows the SUSY particles.
The goal of physicists is to establish a unified theory that could explain
the four fundamental forces—gravity, electromagnetism, weak force and
strong force—that govern the universe.
Of the four fundamental forces, gravity and electromagnetic force are well-known. “Weak force“ enforces a neutron's decay, and “strong force“ binds gluon particles together and stabilizes the core of atoms (neutrons and protons). So far, scientists have succeeded in unifying the electromagnetic force and the weak force into the electroweak force. What is next required is to integrate the SUSY particles with the weak and strong forces into a single theory.
Experiments that are underway include XMASS, headed by the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research at the University of Tokyo, and NEWAGE, under the auspices of Kyoto University.
Dozens of Japanese researchers from institutions such as the International Center for Elementary Particle Physics at the University of Tokyo, the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, and Kobe University are involved in the Atlas experiment to be conducted at LHC.
