Lunch seminar Bob Sanders, Kapteyn Institute (UG)

Title:
An introduction to the MOND paradigm

Abstract:
More than 35 years ago, Milgrom proposed modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND), an acceleration-based modification of Newtonian dynamics, as an alternative to astrophysical dark matter. In spite of being a point-of-view held by a small minority of astronomers and physicists, the idea has persisted over the decades; this is primarily due to its predictive success especially on the scale of galaxies -- success that is unmatched by the dark matter paradigm. I describe the axiomatic basis of the idea, the phenomenological success in comparison with dark matter and the construction of a deeper theory. I summarise the challenges to MOND, particularly on a larger scale.