Description:

The Cold Dark Matter (CDM) model for structure formation is successful in reproducing large scale structures (>10 Mpc), but challenges remain on subgalactic scales where the number of satellites and their properties can be in tension with expectations, and the intersection of dark matter physics and astrophysics matter.  Although progress has been made in matching observations and simulations in the Milky Way, to fully test the CDM model, studies beyond the Local Group are necessary in order to sample primary halos with a range of masses, morphologies and environments.  Here we present recent work in moving so-called 'Near Field Cosmology' beyond the Local Group, along with expectations in the era of the Vera Rubin Observatory, Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam and the Roman Space Telescope.

Speaker: David Sand, Associate Professor, University of Arizona

Host: Wen-fai Fong