1. INTRODUCTION



Most theoretical astrophysics, as commonly accepted is demonstrably wrong. Founded upon optically measured data, the dark matter, the overwhelming constituent was unknown, hence ignored. Before proceeding to describe the nature of dark matter, the standard paradigm1 must first be debunked.

A foundation pillar upon which the standard stellar astrophysical model rests is the Russell-Vogt theorem [Russell et al. 1927, Vogt 1926]. The theorem states: "The evolution of stars is fixed at their birth by two inherent fundamental parameters, mass and chemical composition." While this assumption made sense in an era when the heavens were open only to telescopes, the very way we conceive the universe was changed by Zwickey's [1937] discovery of dark matter.

As dark matter exists and has mass, it must be attracted and accreted into stars. As a direct result the mass of stars increases continuously. This inescapable conclusion is independent of the nature of dark matter. The only possible counters are that the gain in mass from the addition of dark matter is negligible over stellar lifetimes or the dark matter is repelled or diverted. Those assertions, if voiced, are inconsistent with the accepted conclusion that there exists at minimum nine times more "dark" than visible matter and the former must be pervasive. Experimental evidence is cited herein, using our Sun as a stellar example, that the quantity in the solar system is significant and the accretion while small is measurable and significant on the scale of a stellar lifetime.

Large optical telescopes were the fundamental tools of the astronomer in the first half of the twentieth century. Theory formulated to explain observation was based upon visual observation. In consequence, it is not surprising that an unseen component did not appear in the prevailing model. When Fritz Zwickey [1937] discovered the gravitational influence of unseen masses upon the motions of galaxies the "standard model" was already well established. When Rubin et al. [1980] found the rotation rate of spiral galaxies was being influenced by external unseen masses the prevailing theoretical astrophysical scenario was so entrenched that it was barely modified to include the large scale gravitational influence of this "dark matter."

Today, while the very nature of this component is hotly debated, the prevailing astrophysical model speaks only to the large-scale gravitational force of dark matter [Sadoulet 1999]. While admitting that dark matter composes over ninety percent of the universe, the standard model purports to explain all astrophysics based upon observation of the remainder. What better way to illustrate this then the very name given to a hypothetical body proposed to constitute this mass? That name is Weakly Interacting Massive Particle with the seemingly appropriate acronym WIMP. It is in fact, not at all appropriate. To the contrary, we shall prove herein that the dark matter is strongly interactive.

Beyond WIMPS, other hypothesized candidates include MACHOS (for Massive Compact Halo Objects), axions, neutrallinos and wimpzillas. That the search has taken on a Lewis Carroll "Alice in Wonderland" nature is aptly described in a Science News story [Cowen 2000].

Cosmoids (a contraction of cosmic meteoroids) is the name we coined [Dubin & Soberman 1991] for meteoroids, interstellar and beyond. These small, near invisible, ubiquitous bodies are key to the workings of the Sun and stars. Cold, dark loose aggregates of volatile matter, predominantly hydrogen with a size distribution extending from macromolecules to kilometers, cosmoids are the dark matter of the universe. Herein we return dark matter to the real world of measurable astrophysics. As we will show, there is a wealth of experimental data attesting to their existence, beginning decades before their recognition/discovery in the results of the three meteoroid experiments carried on the PIONEER 10 and 11 spacecraft [Dubin & Soberman 1991].

Any model describing the astrophysics of the universe and its components which lacks an understanding of cosmoids, their nature and interactions, requires constant revision and contrived hypothetical physics to explain observations undreamed when the prevailing model was first formulated three quarters of a century ago.

Gravitationally attracted to stars including our sun they are a major influence upon stellar behavior and evolution. The negation of the Russell-Vogt fundamental astrophysical premise is significant. A theoretical patch on the standard model cannot accommodate the collapse of this assumption. If stars grow with time, then their evolution differs significantly from current belief. Stars are born small and add mass as intuition would dictate. The largest most massive stars are not, as currently believed, the youngest, but rather among the oldest in the heavens. This is but one facet of the new astrophysical paradigm demanded by these revelations.

The following describes this new astrophysical model for the Sun, stars and our universe based upon the interaction with dark matter (cosmoids). Many enigmas are resolved herein, including the power heating the Sun's upper atmosphere, driving solar flares and mass ejection. Among numerous other explanations, the driving force for solar and planetary atmospheric super-rotation, the solar neutrino solution, and the link between the Sun's radiation and the Earth's climate.

The model is a product of the space age. Most of the measurements required for its formulation come from instruments and platforms of space age technology hence could not have been articulated earlier. It should be noted that the model hangs together like a chain with each link an integral part that cannot be separated from the whole. Acceptance of a single link requires acceptance of the entirety. Each link is supported by measurement. The observational support spans a diverse group of physical and astrophysical specialties. If the cited data do not suffice, there are tests suggested that might be carried out with existent facilities that can distinguish between popular theory and the model presented here.

1 paradigm - Used in science to describe an encompassing theoretical model.