Revealing Dark Matter and Galaxy Formation with Small-scale Structure

Zoom Recording Passcode: 8fK!9@S@

Over the next decade, new facilities including the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will discover hundreds of ultra-faint dwarf galaxies and thousands of strong gravitational lenses. I will describe a research program that uses these observations to probe fundamental galaxy formation and dark matter physics. In particular, I will argue that combining upcoming dwarf galaxy surveys and strong-lensing data will reveal whether completely dark halos exist. I will also present new cosmological zoom-in simulations beyond the cold dark matter paradigm, including self-interacting dark matter models that address current small-scale anomalies. These tools pave the way for new discoveries, including the first tests of early-universe physics and inflation with near-field cosmology.