Michael Smith

Umeå University

Michael Smith received his Ph.D. from Colorado State University and then studied biophysics and computerized data handling at Johns Hopkins University, Maryland. He has been publishing on the topic of the proper interpretation of supernovae type Ia (SNe Ia) observations since 2006. Several of his articles deal with dark energy, dark matter, and Hubble\'s constant determinations. Lately, he has been investigating the basis for the current Hubble tension as stemming from improper handling of the SNe Ia data and differing interpretations of the Friedmann (FLRW) model. He has also published new fundamental relations over the relations between matter, energy, spacetime, and gravity. He has published more than fifty articles in peer-reviewed journals, edited two books on cosmology, and produced six short videos for public education.

2books edited

4chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Michael Smith

This book presents several new, important explanations for dark matter, all dissimilar to the discredited subatomic particle-like but invisible matter. One chapter presents evidence that abundant cold hydrogen, baryonic matter, is the source of the missing gravity. Another chapter suggests that dark matter is better explained by stars in spiral galaxies that follow non-Keplerian orbits. A third chapter proposes that gravity attributed to dark matter is due to the sprinkling of black holes throughout galaxies, which is supported by LIGO/Virgo observations. Another chapter questions the assumptions of the Friedmann (FLRW) model, proposing a better method for handling astrophysical data. Additional chapters discuss cosmic ray propagation, axion decay, the cosmological scale factor, and the philosophical outlook of cosmologists when dealing with the questions of dark matter and dark energy.

Go to the book

Dark Matter

Edited by Michael Smith

Books edited

Cosmology 2020

Edited by Michael Smith

Chapters authored

A Polytropic Solution of the Expanding Universe – Constraining Relativistic and Non-Relativistic Matter Densities Using Astronomical Results

By Ahmet M. Öztaş and Michael L. Smith

Part of the book: Aspects of Today's Cosmology

The Tension over the Hubble-Lemaitre Constant

By Michael L. Smith and Ahmet M. Öztaș

Astronomers continue the search for better a Hubble-Lemaitre constant, H0, value and other cosmological parameters describing our expanding Universe. One investigative school uses ‘standard candles’ to estimate distances correlated with galactic redshifts, which are then used to calculate H0 and other parameters. These distance values rely on measurements of Cepheid variable stars, supernovae types Ia and II or HII galaxies/giant extra-galactic HII regions (GEHR) or the tip of red giant star branch to establish a distance ‘ladder’. We describe some common pitfalls of employing log-transformed HII/GEHR and SNe Ia data rather than actual distances and suggest better analytical methods than those commonly used. We also show that results using HII and GEHR data are more meaningful when low quality data are discarded. We then test six important cosmological models using HII/GEHR data but produce no clear winner. Groups utilising gravitational waves and others measuring signals from the cosmic microwave background are now at odds, ‘tension’, with those using the SNe Ia and HII data over Hubble-Lemaitre constant values. We suggest a straightforward remedy for this tension.

Part of the book: Cosmology 2020

Dark Matter in Spiral Galaxies as the Gravitational Redshift of Gravitons

By Firmin Oliveira and Michael L. Smith

Several recent attempts to observe dark matter with characteristics similar to atomic or subatomic particles as Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) have failed to detect anything real over a wide energy range. Likewise, considerations of large, non-emitting objects as the source of most dark matter fall short of expectations. Here we consider the possibility that massless gravitons suffering slow redshift may be responsible for the properties of spiral galaxies attributed to dark matter. Particles such as gravitons will be extremely difficult to directly detect; the best we can envision is measuring this influence on stellar and galactic motions. Since the motions of stars and galaxies are non-relativistic, we can apply our idea to describe the expected large-scale motions using only Newtonian mechanics. Using our assumption about the importance of the graviton, we here describe the well-known Tully-Fisher relationship of spiral galaxies without resorting to hypothesizing exotic WIMPs or invoking modifications of Newtonian dynamics (MoND).

Part of the book: Dark Matter

Introductory Chapter: Introduction to Dark Matter

By Michael L. Smith

Part of the book: Dark Matter

Michael Smith

Latest work with IntechOpen by Michael Smith

Dark Matter

Books edited

Cosmology 2020

Chapters authored

Related collaborators

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Angelo Tartaglia

Abraao Capistrano

Salah Nasri

Hans Fahr

Robert Vallée

Michael Disney

Marcos D. Maia

Abdessamad Abada

Gonzalo J. Olmo