Discussion on alternative sources for MOND-like phenomenology?
Hi r/Physics,
I was hoping to start a technical discussion on MOND-like alternatives to Dark Matter.
While most MOND-type theories modify the gravitational action or kinetic terms for matter, I'm curious about the viability of sourcing the acceleration discrepancy from a different mechanism.
What if the MOND phenomenology (i.e., the Radial Acceleration Relation where a_eff^2 ≈ a_N^2 + a_N*a_0) arises from a new vector field that couples directly to the baryonic angular momentum tensor?
I'm trying to map out the theoretical landscape for this concept and wanted to ask:
- What are the biggest theoretical or observational "showstoppers" for this idea?
- Would such a coupling to the spin tensor already be ruled out by solar system tests (like planetary perihelion precession or LAGEOS data)?
- How would this kind of vector field affect gravitational lensing observations compared to standard MOND or Lambda-CDM?
Are there any key papers or major constraints I might be overlooking? I'm trying to understand if this concept is a non-starter from the beginning.
Thanks!
Posted Nov 10, 2025, 12:17 PM UTC